


The Pirates and the Prey

by Elioren



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Falling In Love, Pirates, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-08-29 14:50:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8494114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elioren/pseuds/Elioren
Summary: Traveling from town to town, the fierce all-women crew of the Dupain-Cheng capture criminals and bring justice to the coastline. No one knows the true identities of the vigilantes, only that their captain goes by the name "Ladybug."For months they have been chasing the Agreste, the polar opposite of those on the Dupain-cheng. Exclusively men, they supposedly wreak havoc and destruction wherever they see fit. Elusive as they are cunning, no one seems to be able to find them. That is, until the two stumble upon each other by chance.





	1. The Dupain-Cheng

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Turn Loose the Mermaids](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8238214) by [bookskitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookskitten/pseuds/bookskitten). 



> IMPORTANT NOTE: This was my very first fic. It's... pretty bad. My newer fics are MUCH better and I highly recommend reading one of those instead.
> 
> I'm absolutely obsessed with bookskitten's story and really liked the idea of a pirate AU, so I decided to make my own. This is my first work, so please comment and send me any criticism you have, constructive or otherwise. I want to make my works the best they can be.
> 
> UPDATE:  
> I now have a tumblr where I'll post updates and whatnot for upcoming works!  
> http://elioren.tumblr.com/

 

Late morning had drawn near on the _Dupain-Cheng._ The light filtered through the captain’s cabin, quietly waking its inhabitant. Stirring gently, the young maiden awoke from her slumber, stretching with a yawn. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and stood, rubbing her eyes as she did.

“Good morning, Tikki,” She said to her black and red spotted parakeet. The tiny bird chirped in response.

“I know, I know. Once we get into the port I’ll get you some fresh seeds, alright? I’ll even get the special sugar-coated ones you like so much.” Upon hearing this, Tikki fluttered around the room in excitement. Marinette giggled and walked over to her wardrobe to decide what to wear for the day. After pondering for a minute, she settled on a red blouse with a dark brown leather bodice, and leather leggings to match. Strapping on her rapier, she headed towards the door with Tikki on her slender shoulder and smiled optimistically.

“Today’s going to be a good day, I can feel it.”

 

**CRASH!**

     

“What’d you say?!”

 

 _Well so much for that,_ Marinette thought glumly.

 

“I said that a captain should be more responsible!” Alya Césaire, her first mate, and Lila Rossi, the ship’s cook, were in a heated debate over who knows what. Arguments like this occurred quite often, especially when the crew had been at sea for a long time.

“She’s more responsible _and_ a better leader than you could ever hope to be!” Alya yelled, her face growing increasingly red by the second.

“Oh please. Marinette can’t even wake up earlier than ten o’clock, what makes you think she’s fit to be captain?” Lila was sneering at Alya now, provoking her further. But before it could continue further, Marinette made her presence known. 

“Morning, you two.” The girls jumped in surprise, too absorbed in their fight to notice Marinette was there.

“C-captain… I didn’t- ” started Lila, but she was cut off with a wave from Marinette.

“I will have no more fighting on my ship, understand? We’ll be in Lorient soon, and I think some land will do us all some good. We’ll pick up some fresh supplies and spend the night at an inn. Who knows, we could even have some fun while we’re there! So please don’t sour the crew’s mood before arrival.”

“Yes ma’am,” they said in unison.

“Land Ho!” Mylène called from the crow’s nest. Upon hearing her call, Marinette turned back to the two young women.

“Alya, alert everyone that we’ll be arriving soon. Lila, could you get me something to eat? I’m starving.” As the two went to fill out their respective duties, the captain sank into a nearby chair.

“What am I going to do with the two of them, Tikki? I know Alya has never liked Lila, granted I didn’t either at first, but this is going to start causing problems.” Tikki rubbed her beak on her master’s cheek in comfort. Being the captain isn’t always easy.

 _Well, I can’t just sit here doing nothing. I’ve got to prepare for landfall._ Marinette re-entered her cabin and grabbed the black and red polka dot masquerade-style mask lying on her desk and placed it over her bright blue eyes.

_Spots on._

 

* * *

 

 

No more than twenty minutes later, the ship's company was walking into the bustling seaport of Lorient. By this point, it was already noon, which meant the streets were heavily populated. Passerby were shocked by the sight of the all-women crew, each one donning a mask on their faces.

“Is that… it couldn’t be...” People were whispering to each other, trying to deduce if it was the legendary _Dupain-Cheng_ that had just pulled into their port.

“We’re saved! Ladybug is here to help us!” Yelled an elderly woman, running up to Marinette and kneeling before her. “Please, you must help us!”

Marinette looked at her comrades in confusion, but none of them seemed to know what the woman was referring to.

“Calm down. Now, could you tell me what the problem is?”

“He’s here,” whispered the woman, her eyes full of dread.

“Who’s here? What’s his name?” The woman looked around as if to see if there was anyone within a close range.

“Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was just testing the waters with this, which is why it's so short and not very good. The rest of the chapters will be much better and longer.
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	2. The Search

 

* * *

 

 

Marinette felt her blood run cold.

“Chat Noir? Here?” But that couldn’t be. Last she heard, the _Agreste_ had been along the northern Spanish coast not more than three days ago. How could he be in Lorient?

“Yes!” The woman spoke louder now, “We have been in constant fear that he could destroy us at any moment. Please, Ladybug! Help us!” The woman had begun to cause a bit of a commotion. People were starting to gather around at the mention of her alias, hopeful that she could rid them of this vermin. However, no one had ever seen the him and lived to tell the tale. She had no idea what he looked like, but nevertheless was determined to help these people.

“Don’t worry,” Marinette said, standing up straighter, “I will find him and end his reign of terror.” She helped the woman stand up before walking back to the ship to help her crew arm themselves more efficiently.

No one was to ever leave the ship unarmed, especially if there was a threat nearby. But this was an entirely different situation. Now, they had to arm themselves as if they were going to war. Guns, swords, and daggers were just a few of the weapons being passed around. Marinette prefered to not carry anything too bulky, always settling for her simple yet elegant rapier and a small dagger concealed under her shirt sleeve. However, this wasn’t much of a handicap. She was one of the most skilled swordswomen on the seven seas.

After everyone had been armed appropriately, they gathered around  below deck for orders from their captain. Marinette stood upon a box and spoke with more force than most of her comrades had ever heard before.

“Everyone! As you all know, Chat Noir’s crew is not to be trifled with. They are the most evasive criminals on the continent, and we cannot afford to lose them now. Therefore, we must retain a low profile until we can find Chat Noir himself. We will split into groups of two. Juleka and Rose, Alix and Mylène, Aurore and Mireille, and Lila and Alya. All of you are to be back at the ship by ten o’clock.” Everyone immediately walked over to their respective partners before Alya spoke up.

“But Captain, doesn’t that mean you’ll be on your own?” The other girls looked at Marinette with concern.

“Yes, I will be.” Her crew waited for her to elaborate further, but when she didn’t, they took it as a sign that she didn’t want to press further.

They were dismissed, and left the ship to begin searching in different directions around the town. Marinette stayed behind for a moment, considering bringing Tikki along with her, but decided against it in the end. She opened the cage door, and pet the feathers that stuck out of the top of Tikki’s head.

“I know, you think it’s a bad idea for me to go on my own. It’ll be fine Tikki, I promise. With my luck, we probably won’t even find them.” Tikki ruffled her feathers in annoyance and squawked at Marinette. Feeling like this would probably resolve itself later, she sighed and left the cabin, locking her door behind her.

 

* * *

 

 

Marinette wandered around the town for many hours, but found no sign of Chat Noir nor his crewmates. She had picked up various supplies along the way, and was about to head back to the ship for the night when the most glorious of all smells snaked around her freckled nose. Food.

 _No no, I have to get back to the ship._ In response, her stomach growled in protest. _Eh… Maybe just a quick snack. I’ll be sure to save some room for Lila’s cooking._

Marinette looked around to see if anyone was nearby. Luckily, no one was. She took off her mask to avoid suspicion and followed the scent to a warm little tavern filled with laughter. Her stomach growled the closer to the counter she got. She set down her supplies and took a seat at the bar. A busty barmaid in a faded blue dress walked over to her almost immediately.

“‘Ello hun. What can I get for ya?” She asked while cleaning some mugs.

“Could I get some mashed potatoes?” The barmaid looked at her skeptically, as most people don’t normally go to a tavern without ordering alcohol. Feeling embarrassed by the look she was being given, Marinette added, “And… rum?”

The barmaid raised her eyebrows in surprise. Although she was expecting Marinette to order some alcohol, she didn’t think she would have asked for hard liquor.

“Comin’ right up, hon.” She went into the kitchen and shouted the order at the cook. Meanwhile, Marinette occupied herself with observing the people in the tavern. The majority of the tables were full of men and women drinking and laughing. However, there was one man in particular that made her take a second glance.

Sitting alone at the opposite end of the bar, he sipped on the foam of his drink slowly while staring off into space. His messy blonde hair was framed his chiseled face, and she could see the lean muscles of his arms from where his black sleeves were rolled up. But what mesmerized Marinette the most were his eyes. They were a piercing green, with flecks of gold around the inner ring of his iris. They appeared to hold great longing, but for what, she didn’t know.

As if he felt her eyes on him, his head snapped up and those green eyes locked onto her. Embarrassed that she had been caught staring, she blushed, and was about to fumble out an apology when her food arrived.

Turning away from his gaze, she focused her attention on her plate. Before she knew it, she had finished all of her potatoes.

 _That should satisfy you until we get back to the ship,_ she thought at her stomach. Marinette tried to occupy herself with drinking her rum, but it was a lot stronger than she initially thought. She tended to stay away from alcohol as she was a lightweight, which she found out in a rather unfortunate incident that included serenading a barrel full of oranges. After a few minutes of slow drinking, a man walked up behind her to the bar. To her dismay, it was not the attractive blonde from earlier but a typical tavern drunk.

“Hey there beauty, How’re ya doin’ on thish fine nigh’? His words were heavily slurred, and it was obvious that he was so drunk he could barely see straight. Not in the mood to be conversing with drunkards, she turned back to her mug.

“I’m just fine,” she replied curtly, “Thank you.” She jumped in surprise when the man draped a large, hairy arm over her petite shoulders.

“Aw come’on girly, don’ be like that.” He leaned in towards her and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Quite disgusted but not wanting to cause a scene, she firmly pushed him away and stood up to move seats.

“I said I’m fine.” Marinette marched off to a solitary corner of the tavern and sat in a seat. Too annoyed to be worried about drinking slowly, she downed her rum in a little under a minute. Leaning back in her chair, she ran her slim fingers through her dark hair and rested her eyes for a moment. She had been gone long enough. Her crew would be wondering where their captain was by now, so it was probably a good time to head back. She walked back over to the counter, paid for her food, and smiled at the barmaid before exiting the tavern.

 _It’s gotten pretty late,_ she deduced from the position of the moon, _I should have headed back sooner, everyone will be worried._  It was around eleven o’clock, an hour later than she told everyone to be back. Remembering there were some shortcuts back to the docks, she started walking into an alley between some buildings.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she realized someone was following her. Despite her better judgment, Marinette gave them the benefit of the doubt. Surely there were people that lived in this area, right? It must be a nearby resident on their way home. She sped up her pace, but she heard their pace speed up to match hers. Someone was definitely following her.

  
But her realization came too late. She felt something break on the back of her head, and before she could look at the face of her attacker, everything went black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alriiiiight! Two chapters! This one is way longer than the first, I didn't expect to get two chapters out in one night. I just had so much fun writing that I couldn't stop, but I had to cause this one was getting too long. Please point out any errors I made so I can fix them! (I'm pretty sure I managed to fix most of them though)
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	3. The Black Cat of the Seven Seas

 

 

Chat Noir had just barely managed to escape from his crew, craving a bit of freedom. Though they didn’t like him wandering off without anyone knowing, ultimately they couldn’t go against their captain’s wishes.

 _Nino’s going to give me hell for this when I get back, but whatever._ Chat had run off enough times to know that his first mate couldn’t stay mad at him for long, but still felt annoyed at the lecture he was going to get later. Nino Lahiffe was like an older brother to him, but this wasn't surprising seeing as they grew up together. And while they were relatively close in age, Chat Noir’s mischievous nature always got him into trouble. But Nino had always been there to get him out again, so the two had gotten used to this routine.

It was pretty late, about half past ten o’clock. A tall drink would do him some good before heading back. He wandered around for a while before settling on a pub that was busy enough for him not to stand out too much. Sitting at the far end of the bar, he ordered a brandy and some beef stew. He finished the food soon after it was served to him, but drank his liquor slowly, allowing himself to get lost in his thoughts.

After a few minutes, he felt a pair of eyes watching him. His head snapped up and his gaze was pulled towards a girl at the opposite end of the bar. His sudden movements caused her to jump, and she looked rather embarrassed. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it when the barmaid placed a plate of food before her.

His eyes traced the delicate curve of her jaw, the light rosy tint on her cheeks, and her smattering of freckles across her nose. Her icy blue eyes were striking against the red of her shirt, blinking nervously as she obviously tried to restrain her awkwardness.

 _Weird girl,_ the young blonde man thought, Well, it’s charming in its own way. Chat returned his attention back to his drink, but within a few moments, a heavily intoxicated man wobbled over to the lady sitting at the bar. Although he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he had a pretty good guess. She was visibly uncomfortable, and Chat was about to intervene when she stood swiftly and shoved him off of her.

That was when the pirate noticed the thin blade strapped to her waist.

 _A guard, perhaps?_ He thought with caution, No, she doesn’t have a uniform. And I haven’t seen a guard that moves like her. Chat’s eyes followed her across the room as she briskly walked to the quietest corner of the pub and downed the rest of her drink in a matter of seconds. _Heh, hopefully she can hold her liquor,_ he chuckled.

He let his mind wander for a few more minutes, and when he came to his senses, she was walking back to the counter. She handed some coins to the waitress and smiled so sweetly he could imagine the taste of honey. The girl began to walk out of the tavern, upon his gaze fell upon her once again. Suddenly, his eyes caught movement in the corner of the room.

The man from earlier had also been watching her leave. Standing up, he threw a random amount of coins on the table before grabbing his now empty bottle and following the young lady out of the building. The drunk’s eyes were glazed over, with a devilish smirk growing on his lips.

 _Oh boy, that doesn’t look good._ The young pirate left his payment on the counter and swiftly exited through the large wooden doors. Glancing around, he spotted the man ducking into a nearby alley. Chat silently leaped over a pile of boxes and peeked around the corner, just in time to see the man swing the bottle over the girl’s head.

Her small frame crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold. Chat could see the reflection of the moon in the pool of blood that was forming around her hair from where the glass had sliced her scalp.

Rage filled him from the pit of his stomach. Audibly unsheathing his midnight black cutlass, he placed the tip firmly against the back of the man’s neck. Her attacker froze when he felt the cool metal, nearly dropping the girl he had swung over his shoulder.

“Drop her.” Chat’s voice was almost a growl. When the man was too afraid to move an inch, Chat pressed the blade further into his skin.

**“Now!”**

The man dropped her onto the cobblestone ground with a harsh thud. As soon as Chat released the pressure on his neck, he bolted. Chat considered chasing after him, but decided it wasn’t worth his time. Sighing, he looked worriedly at the girl sprawled on the ground before him. Kneeling, he gingerly brushed the hair away from her face, which had streaks of blood running down it. Carefully placing his hands under her back and legs, he lifted her off the ground with ease. He knelt down again to grab her satchel that had fallen off her shoulder, before running back to his ship.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It took quite a while for Chat to get back, as they had to dock outside of town to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. Walking up the board that connected the _Agreste_ to the small beach, he was greeted with a very upset first mate. Nino glared at him as he stepped onto the boat, but his look was quickly replaced with one of shock.

“Wha.. What happened? Who is she?” Nino looked back and forth between the captain and the girl, not sure what to do.

“Some drunkard attacked her, not sure why,” he stated, calm and collected as usual. “I don’t have a clue who she is.”

“Did you save her?” Chat nodded once in reply.

“Why?” Nino was perplexed. Normally Chat wouldn’t bat an eye, so what compelled him to rescue this girl?

“Not sure. I’ve never even met her before, but something urged me to help her. Now go get Max, I need him to wrap her wounds.” Nino didn’t even answer, running below deck to find the ship’s doctor.

Chat carried her into his quarters and gently laid her on his bed. He took a bucket of water and a rag and began to clean her wounds, delicately brushing the cloth over her skin. Suddenly, the door burst open and revealed Nino and Max, both slightly out of breath.

“Chat,” breathed Max, “How is she?”

“The cuts are pretty deep,” the captain replied, “I don’t think there’s any glass in them though.” Max pulled a stool over and sat next to Chat, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. They moved the towel away from her face so Max could examine her better. After a few minutes of turning her head from side to side, he began to wrap her head with white bandages.

“She’ll be fine. It’ll probably take about a week for her cuts to heal completely.” At hearing this, Chat felt a wave of relief course through his body.

Thank god, she’ll be okay. He exhaled quietly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Max didn’t seem to notice, but Nino did. What on earth had gotten into Chat today?

“Thank you Max,” Chat said, “You’re dismissed.” Max nodded and exited the room.

“So… You really have no idea who she is?” Nino, who had been quiet the whole time, was leaning against the wall with a smirk on his features.

“Nope, I’ve never seen her before.” Chat’s gaze never left the girl in his bed. Nino huffed and pushed himself away from the wall. He knew his captain would never lie to him, but why would he have gone through the trouble of bringing her here instead of handing her off to someone else? Better yet, why did he save her in the first place?

“Alright, well, I’m going to head to bed. It’s been a long day for everyone.” Chat waved a hand over his shoulder, still facing the young woman as Nino closed the door behind him.

Not long after, he found himself drifting off into a dream-filled sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Light washed over the cabin, greeting those sleeping within. Marinette groaned as the sun hit her eyelids, making her turn over. However, she soon realized there was a throbbing pain coming from the back of her head. Sitting up, she opened her eyes groggily and moved her hand to touch the bandages that were wrapped around her temple.

Ugh… What happened? The last thing I remember is being at that pub… She surveyed her surroundings and suddenly snapped her eyes open. Wait. Where am I?! She tried to throw the linen sheets off of her, but stopped when she realized a weight was holding them down. She slowly looked down next to her, and nearly screamed.

_Who is **that?!**_

Marinette fumbled out of bed quickly, accidentally kicking the man who was sleeping peacefully next to her.

“What the-” He was cut off by the sight of the girl brandishing her rapier at him, which she had found leaning on a nearby barrel.

“Wh-who are you?” She asked nervously. The blonde man yawned and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

“Good morning to you too, sweetheart.” Standing up, he stretched and yawned once more before sauntering over to her.

“Tell me your name,” she demanded, still pointing her weapon at him. However, he wasn’t fazed by her attempt at intimidation. Perhaps it would have worked on most people, but not him.

“Well, seeing as I’m the one that saved your life,” he began, stepping closer to her each second, “You’ll do the polite thing, and tell me yours first.” She glared at him in response and thrust her blade at him. However, he easily sidestepped it and caught her as she lost her balance on a loose board.

“Woah there, you should be careful. You’re still injured pretty badly,” he said, smirking at her embarrassed blush, “Besides, I hardly believe it’s courteous to stab your host.” He let her go, and although she didn’t raise her sword again, she was still on guard. “But since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you who you’re speaking to.” He prowled towards her slowly, ignoring the glares she was giving him as he backed her against the wall. His lips inched closer to her ear, her panicked breathing tickling his shoulder. When he spoke, it was barely above a whisper.

“Black Cat of the Seven Seas, Chat Noir.”

Marinette’s eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. _Chat Noir?! I’m on the Agreste?  Wait, “saved my life?” Why would this monster have any reason to save me? No--He’s lying, he has to be. I have to kill him. I might never get this opportunity again. But if I am on his ship, his crew must be here too… If I kill him now, I might as well sign my own death warrant._ Then, an idea struck her.

“Chat Noir?” She asked quietly. He pulled away from her and flashed a toothy grin.

“The one and only.” Excitement flashed across Marinette’s face, and she dropped her sword and grabbed his hands.

“Oh my goodness! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” He looked taken aback, no one had ever come looking for a bringer of death, at least not without a reason to kill him.  

“Uh… you what?” He cocked an eyebrow in confusion, staring back at the bubbly girl.

“I want to join you!” Marinette groaned internally, hating the act she was putting on. I just have to wait for the right opportunity, then get the hell out of here. Chat took a moment to process what she said, before once again putting on a cocky smile.

“Listen here, hon’, I don’t know if you realize this, but this is an all-male crew. Besides, we don’t accept just anyone off the streets, you have to prove yourself worthy before we’ll let you in.” He finally released her hands to place his own on his hips, tilting his head back in a smug way.

“Oh believe me,” she said, “I know my way around weapons.” She picked up her rapier and twirled it around, the light glinting off its long silver blade. “And, I even know how to cook.” Although she was better at baking than cooking, she could still prepare somewhat decent meals.

Chat contemplated her proposal. Sure, they were an all-male crew, but it wasn’t like they excluded females. But typically, women tended not to want to partake in their… activities. Besides, having a cook on board that was better than Ivan would be a blessing. Not that he was the worst cook in the world, but there was only so much of his “signature stew” that the crew could take.

“I will consider it.” Chat closed his eyes before speaking again. “However, I hardly think you’re in any shape to showcase your capabilities. Rest up for a few days, and then we’ll see what you’re made of.” Marinette sighed in relief, but it was short lived. “But, If I so much as suspect that you are here for _any_ other reason, I will slit your throat and throw your body to the sharks. Do I make myself clear?” She stared coldly back at him, letting no emotion shine through her features.

“Crystal.” Appearing satisfied, Chat turned away from her, not seeing the smirk Marinette gave to his back.

  
_Let the game begin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I've been writing this all day (2.2k words, whew). Hopefully it's alright, I'm slowly making longer and longer chapters. I'll try to update every day or two. 
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	4. The Beginning of the End

 

Alya was pacing around worriedly on the docks, muttering something under her breath. Marinette hadn’t come back to the ship last night, nor this morning. And although she was certainly capable of protecting herself, Alya was on edge with the pirates around, despite having seen no signs of them. She searched around town with Lila, Juleka, and Rose, but no one had any leads on their captain's whereabouts.

“If you asked me, I’d say good riddance,” Lila sneered, irritating Alya.

“Well no one _did,_ so shut your mouth.” She briskly walked over to join Juleka, who was asking some villagers if they had seen any sign of Marinette. “That girl is starting to provoke me on purpose.” She glared over her shoulder before growling, “I swear to god, I’m so damn close to wringing her neck with that stupid orange scarf she wears.”

“Alya,” Juleka started, “You know Marinette doesn’t like it when you two fight.”

“I know, I know,” Alya sighed, “She just drives me crazy!” Juleka closed her eyes and shook her head lightly, understanding where Alya was coming from but not agreeing with her method of coping with it.

They searched all day, but no one found any clues to their missing captain’s whereabouts. By this point, everyone was beginning to worry, save for Lila. She couldn’t care less if Marinette was missing. Alya was sitting in the captain’s cabin, restlessly fidgeting when Rose walked into the room and noticed how nervous she was.

“Oh Alya, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” She offered a small smile, but Alya didn’t return it. “Besides,” Rose continued, “She’s more skilled than anyone else on this ship, perhaps even in the whole country. She can handle herself, you should have some faith in her.”

“Heh, that’s an understatement.” Alya stared at her hands intently, as if they could tell her where Marinette was. “She’s probably more skilled than most people in the world.” Rose flashed a bright smile at her.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about! Come on, Lila has dinner ready. You should eat, you haven’t eaten all day.” Rose grabbed Alya’s hand and began to help her stand from the crate she had been sitting on.

“Yeah… you’re right. We’ll look more tomorrow,” she said, walking out of the room with Rose. _I just hope she hasn’t gotten herself into more trouble than she can handle._

 

* * *

 

 _What were you thinking, Marinette?! ‘I want to join you?!’ That may have been one of your worst ideas yet. You should have left when you had the chance, now he won’t let you until you’ve recovered._ Marinette was mentally scolding herself throughout the day, which was spent in Chat Noir’s cabin. _Why’d he even make me stay in his room in the first place? No… he couldn’t be planning to-_ Her thoughts were abruptly cut off by the man himself walking through the door with a tray of food.

“Brought you some lunch; figured you’d be hungry seeing as how you haven’t eaten since last night.” Setting the tray on the bed next to her, he sat on the stool he had slept on the night before. “Hopefully it’s up to your standards.”

Marinette looked skeptically at the bowl, observing the clear brown liquid. She raised an eyebrow at him, knowing he could tell what she was thinking.

“Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned or anything. I should know, I made it myself.” Chat looked rather proud of himself as he awaited her response. Sighing quietly, Marinette picked up the tray and placed it on her lap before taking a small sip of the soup. To her surprise, it tasted pretty good.

“Hm.. it’s not bad.” She took another spoonful into her mouth, allowing the flavor to roll down her tongue.

“Ah, so she does speak,” he chuckled, earning a glare from her. “Well, I’m glad you like it. Ivan doesn’t know how to make things that are light on your stomach.” Marinette was surprised at how considerate he was being.

“Why?” She asked quietly, causing him to tilt his head.

“Sorry? I didn’t quite catch that,” Chat asked, urging her to continue.

“Why did you save me?” Her voice was clearer now, startling him. He sighed and leaned back, avoiding her eyes.

“Everyone keeps asking me that.” He ran his hand through his hair before continuing. Honestly, I’m not sure. Normally I wouldn’t care if some drunk assaulted a girl, but I felt the need to do so for you.” Suddenly, he looked directly at her, those green eyes boring into hers. “Who are you?”

Marinette was taken aback, not sure what to say. “I… I’d prefer if we didn’t discuss my life before now.” She looked back down at the bowl in front of her, trying to escape his unrelenting gaze. He chuckled, which got her to look back at him.

“That’s not what I meant. You still haven’t told me your name.” She was still for a few moments, contemplating what to tell him.

 _Do I give him my real name? If I tell him I’m Ladybug he’s sure to kill me._ When she didn’t respond, Chat looked at her with concern.

“Are you alright?” She snapped out of her thoughts, abruptly sitting up.

“Y-yes, I’m fine. Marinette. M-my name is Marinette.”

“Marinette…” He took a moment to digest the name. “Yes, it’s very fitting. A lovely name for a lovely girl.” She blushed and quickly turned back to her soup, downing it in a few gulps and surprising the pirate. “Slow down, sweetheart, you’ll upset your stomach.” When she still seemed fine, he sighed and picked up the tray. “I’ll be back later, you should rest.” He began walking towards the door, when she felt an impulse.

“Thank you,” She whispered so quietly, she was sure he didn’t hear. But he stopped in his tracks and turned back to her, giving her a smirk that wasn’t as cocky as his previous ones.

“You’re welcome.” As he neared the door, she called out to him once more.

“And stop calling me sweetheart!”

 

* * *

 

When Marinette awoke next, it was late in the night. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up, before realizing that Chat Noir was sitting at the desk, looking over some papers with an oil lamp next to him. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn’t notice her until she stood up.

“Ah, sleeping beauty awakes. How was your slumber?” He placed the papers down in a neat pile and set them aside.

“It was alright,” she stated plainly, “What time is it?” He produced a silver pocket watch from a drawer and flipped open the cover.

“About half past midnight. You slept all day.” Chat leaned back in his chair, stretching his lean arms over his head.

“Is it alright if I go walk outside?” She asked, looking towards the door. He raised an eyebrow at her before speaking.

“I suppose. But don’t go down into the sleeping quarters, I don’t want you disturbing anyone.” Marinette nodded and opened the door, feeling the cold sea air wash along her body.

_Wait…_

_Why are we sailing?!_

Immediately, she spun on her heel and marched over to the desk. Slamming her palms down, she glared at Chat.

“Why are we sailing, Chat Noir?” Marinette never broke eye contact, demanding he answer her.

“Did you have something to do back in Lorient?” His gaze rose up to meet her unwavering one. However, she backed up slightly, not sure what to say.

“N-no. It’s nothing.” She turned away, trying to foresee how she was going to get back to her own ship.

“We set sail about an hour after you fell asleep today. We’re pirates, we can’t afford to stay in one place for too long, seeing as we had spent a week in Lorient already.” Chat turned back to his papers, seemingly not in the mood for any more conversation. However, Marinette was panicking in her mind.

 _What am I going to do now? I can’t kill him and escape while we’re at sea, so I should probably lie low. But my absence will throw my crew’s schedule completely out of whack. They’ll probably stay in Lorient far longer than we anticipated, but for how long?_ She looked back at Chat, who was obviously very exhausted. She had, after all, stolen his bed from him for two days.

“Hey,” she spoke without looking at him, “You should get some rest.” Chat rose up from his desk and stretched once more.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll sleep on the floor.” He walked over to a chest that contained extra blankets and pulled out a navy blue wool one.

“No, I’ll take the floor, you sleep in your own bed.” Marinette walked over to grab the blanket from him, but he persisted.

“Hell no you’re not. You’re still injured. Besides, what kind of host would I be if I let my guest sleep on a dirty old floor?” He gestured to the ground, although it was clearly sparkling clean. Marinette was about to protest again, but Chat cut her off when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

“Hey!” Marinette kicked and hit his back, and after a few moments the blonde threw her on the soft bed.

“You’re sleeping on the bed and that’s final.” He laid down on the floor and covered himself with the blanket, settling the matter. Marinette huffed and threw the soft sheets over her body and turned to face away from him.

 

 _Such a stubborn girl,_ he thought before being dragged into the sweet oblivion of sleep.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Chat awoke to Marinette sitting next to the window, gazing out at the sea. He sat up, and cracked his joints, savoring the satisfaction it brought.

“Good morning,” he greeted, startling her.

“Morning.” She turned back to the window, attempting to ignore his presence.

“Are you hungry?” He walked to the windowsill where she was sitting.

“I suppose. Could you bring me some more of that soup?” She still faced away from him, mesmerized by the rise and fall of the waves.

“Nope, you’re going to eat breakfast with everyone else today. Come on.” Chat held his palm out to Marinette, which she declined.

“I can stand on my own, thank you.” As if to demonstrate her point, she rose quickly, straightening her back to appear taller. However, she was still a good head shorter than Chat.

“I wasn’t implying you couldn’t,” Chat began, “It was merely an act of courtesy.” He lowered his hand and crossed the room to hold open the door for her. Marinette walked through the doorway and was greeted with the stares of everyone on deck.

_Well so much for lying low._

All conversation stopped as she walked outside, no one’s eyes leaving her. That is, until a bulky man with dark hair that was dyed blonde at the tips spoke loudly from the far end of the deck.  
“Yo, Captain! Who’s your lady friend?” This earned a couple chuckles from other pirates, everyone assuming the same thing.

“Shut up, Kim,” Chat groaned, rubbing his forehead in irritation, “It’s not like that. She wants to join our ranks.” Everyone’s facial expressions morphed into surprise. She didn’t even look like she could handle _knowing_ pirates, much less be one herself.

“Do you really think she has what it takes?” This time it was Nino who spoke. He and Max had been instructed not to tell anyone else about her presence, but were uninformed of her desire to be a part of the crew. Chat looked down at Marinette, a small smirk gracing his lips.

“I do. But tomorrow, we shall find out for certain.” Marinette returned his gaze, confusion settling across her features.

“Tomorrow? What’s tomorrow?” She grew nervous, but attempted to hide it. However, her efforts were in vain, for Chat’s keen eyes took in every detail.

“Tomorrow,” he said, placing a warm hand on the small of her back, “You duel me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to make this chapter longer than the last, but I felt like this was a good cliffhanger to end it on. But hey, at least I can start writing chapter 5 right away. ;3
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	5. The Dancing Duelists

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to write this! I had a huge writer's block after the election (you can all assume why), and I didn't get around to finishing this chapter. That being said, this one's over 3k words! Woohoo! :D
> 
> Enjoy!

 

The day had been a long one. Marinette was introduced to the rest of the crew, shown around the ship, and asked _many_ questions from the other pirates. Surprisingly, everyone seemed fairly well-mannered, especially for their line of work. After they had all eaten dinner, Marinette returned to Chat’s cabin to turn in for the night. Unstrapping her sword from her side, she laid it against the bedframe and sat down on the edge of the bed. Soon after, Chat returned to his room as well and slumped into the armchair at his desk.

“They’re a rowdy bunch,” Marinette stated as she fell back onto the bed, exhausted.

“My sincerest apologies, I thought a lady as capable as yourself would be able to handle a few introductions,” Chat replied sarcastically. Marinette rolled her eyes in response, too tired to be bothered by his snarky nature. With a sharp exhale, he rose from his seat and crossed the room to where Marinette laid, joining her on the bed.

“Sit up, I need to check your cuts,” he said, placing a hand under her slender back. She complied, and faced him to allow the removal of her bandages. Chat set the cloth next to them and turned her around so her back was to him. Parting her midnight black hair, he inspected the incisions.

“Wow,” he said under his breath.  
“What? What’s wrong?” Marinette whipped around to look at his face, realizing that it was mere inches from hers. She jumped back on the bed, causing him to chuckle.

“They’re almost completely healed. You sure recover fast.” Marinette touched the back of her head for confirmation.

“I guess so.” Grabbing the bundle of material, she stood up and placed it in a nearby wicker trash bin. She sat back down next to Chat before speaking again.

“May I use your washroom? I haven’t been able to wash my hair properly for the last few days.”

“Of course,” Chat said. After retrieving Marinette a towel, he left her to bathe. Filling the tub to the brim, she stepped in and sank down into the water. When she came back up, the jingle of a bell caught her attention. Sitting in the corner of the room was a small black cat. His green eyes captured her attention, much in the same way Chat’s did.

“Hey there little guy,” she reached a small hand out to him, “Come’ere.” The cat jumped off the box he was sitting on and immediately walked up to her, snuggling into her hand. She continued to pet him throughout her bath; so far the cat was the only normal thing on this ship.

After she was finished, she realized her clothes were quite dirty, still having crusted blood on them. She wrapped her body in the fluffy towel before opening the door a crack. When she didn’t see Chat Noir outside, she threw it open all the way. To her horror, he had been on the back side of the door, hand raised to knock and holding a change of clothes.

“Aaah!”  
“I-I’m sorr _-_ ”

**SLAM!**

 

Marinette slumped to the floor with her back against the wooden door, her face flushed a deep shade of red. She stayed with her her resting against her knees until she heard a knock at the door.

“Marinette? I brought you some clothes, I figured you could use them.” Chat seemed apprehensive about speaking, but nonetheless continued.“I’ll just leave them outside the door for you.” However, before he could, Marinette once again opened the door, slowly this time. She peeked out from behind the frame, attempting to hide her embarrassment.

“Th-thank you,” She stuttered, taking the clothes from him.

“They’re mine, I apologize if they fit a little loosely.” He also tried to hide his mortification, glancing off

“It’s alright, thank you again.” She shut the door quickly and dropped her towel to the ground. Unfolding the black cloth she had been handed, she discovered it was a shirt. Well, a shirt to him, probably. For her it was practically a tunic. She draped the  fabric over her body, where it cut off at her mid-thigh. It was rather loose, but would suffice for the night until she could clean her regular clothes. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked back into the main cabin.

The cat from before scampered out of the bathroom to the desk, sitting atop a cluster of papers that Chat was looking at. He groaned and pushed the feline off the desk, reorganizing what had been messed up.

“Ugh, Plagg! Why’d you do th-” As he spoke, he noticed Marinette standing in the doorway, holding her dirty clothes in one hand and drying her hair with the other.

 _Oh gods, maybe I should have asked Nathaniel for one of his shirts instead of giving her mine,_ he thought, seeing how loose it was around her slender shoulders. His face grew a light pink tint, but it was quickly replaced by a smirk.

“You look lovely, my lady.” He chuckled at the blush that flashed across her face and stood from his seat. Chat glanced at his silver pocket watch, and yawned. “It’s getting pretty late. We should probably retire for the night.”

 _My lady? Why’s he calling me that?_ Though Marinette was still flustered, she managed to mask it long enough to form a sentence.

“What’s with this duel tomorrow?” She asked, placing her used clothes in the laundry bin.

“You and I will fight, merely to see how capable you are. Don’t worry, I have no intention to harm you.” She scoffed at him. As if he could hurt her. Though she wasn’t the most confident in her abilities, she knew she could take anyone one-on-one.

“Thank you for your consideration.” Marinette turned away from him, but stopped when she realized something. “Uhm… You know, I think I’m well enough to sleep with the other crew members now.” Chat looked at her with surprise before sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Does sharing my cabin make you uncomfortable?” He wasn’t surprised. After all, she was a young woman. Sharing a room with a man was sure to make any girl feel unsafe, especially considering who he was.

“No!” She was taken aback by how quickly she answered. “I-I mean... No, it does not. I just figured you would want your own bed back, now that I’m healed.”

“It’s quite alright, but thank you for being considerate. I wouldn’t let you sleep on one of those uncomfortable cots.” He didn’t have to think twice. Besides, most of his crew would not be as civilized as he was, especially with her dressed as she was.

“It couldn’t be more uncomfortable than the floor you’ve been on the last few nights.” He chuckled at her, running his hands through his messy blonde hair.

“You’re right there, my lady. But I’m not about to let you sleep on the floor either.” Chat saw her pout as she tried to come up with a solution to their dilemma. “How about we share the bed?” Marinette’s eyes widened in surprise, before quickly becoming a glare.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything,” Chat said, attempting to gain her trust. “If you would like we can even put a barrier between us.” Though realistically, a pillow would do little to stop someone. However, it seemed to ease her mind a little.

“Alright… but we’re sleeping back-to-back, got it?” She pointed her finger at him for emphasis. Despite her mind telling her sharing a bed with Chat was a bad idea, she felt too guilty to do otherwise. Chat nodded and removed his boots and discarded his shirt, lifting the sheets to swing his legs under. He turned over so his back was facing her, just like she had requested.

Marinette walked over to the desk and blew out the oil lamp that had been illuminating the room. Now, the only source of light was the full moon’s glow filtering through the windows. She crossed the room once again, this time to the bed. She lifted the sheets and joined Chat, their backs touching each other’s.

“Marinette?” His voice vibrated against her body from their close proximity.

“Yes, Chat?”

“Didn’t you want to put something between us?”

“It’s alright,” she replied, “Besides, there’s only one pillow.” He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.

“Just so you know, I’m not going to go easy on you tomorrow.” Marinette smirked in the darkness, even though he couldn’t see her.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

He chuckled quietly. “Goodnight, my lady.” He moved slightly, their backs pressing against each other a little more.

“Goodnight...Chat Noir.

 

* * *

 

When Marinette awoke, it appeared to be mid-morning. She yawned, before realizing there was a heavy weight upon her body. She pulled up the covers, nearly giving herself a heart attack.

_Why is Chat Noir’s arm around my waist?!_

She tried to move, but he was still sound asleep. When she attempted to stand, he pulled her back, not wanting to let go of the familiar warmth. She pushed and pulled against him, but his grip was stronger than she could manage. Suddenly, she felt him tug her flush against his body, where she could feel every nook, cranny, and muscle. He buried his face in her hair and sighed softly, tickling her neck with his breath. A blush creeped its way up her body to her face, causing her to become a deep shade of pink. She tried to pry him off once more, this time turning around to place her hands on his arms. To her surprise, he had woken up at that exact moment.

“Uh… Good morning,” he said, not realizing exactly what position they were in. His eyes traveled down her body to where his hands rested _—_ firmly against her back. “Oh god!” He threw his arms off of her, allowing her to escape. He started to apologize, but was cut off by Marinette.

“It’s fine, you were asleep.” She walked into the washroom, avoiding any more awkward situations. She grabbed a comb from a drawer and brushed out her hair, smoothing out any knots as she calmed herself down. Once her blush had gone away, she returned to the main room where Chat had begun to get dressed. However, he was still void of a shirt, and she could see every curve and dip of his body.

_No! Bad Marinette! Stop checking out the pirate. You’re here to kill him, not oggle._

She erased these thoughts from her mind and sat in an armchair. The cat from the previous night, Plagg, curled around her feet. She leaned over and stroked the top of his head, causing him to pur. Marinette had to prevent herself from looking back at Chat and his gorgeous body, so she let her eyes wander around the room. They settled on a pile of neatly folded clothes, her red blouse atop the mound. She stood and walked over to it, picking up what was hers.

“Oh,” said Chat, interrupting her thoughts, “Nathaniel must have washed them this morning.” He joined her at the pile, grabbing one of his many black shirts before throwing it on. “I’ll wait outside. Don’t take too long, our duel starts in ten minutes.” She nodded and he left the room, closing the door behind him. She removed the shirt he had given her the night before and began to dress, letting the red fabric wrap snugly around her torso. She pulled on her leather pants, boots, and bodice before strapping her ruby-adorned rapier to her hips. She decided to bring her dagger as well, but doubted she’d need it. After removing it from her satchel and tucking it under her sleeve, she opened the door and walked into the sunlight, momentarily blinded by its brightness.

Her eyes searched for Chat and found him chatting with the bulky man from the previous day, Kim. He noticed her before Chat could, and turned the Captain around to face her.

“Ah, ready are we?” She nodded in reply. “Good. Kim, assemble everyone.”

“Everyone will be watching?” She asked, unaware of this detail.

“Yes. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do fine.” After a few more minutes, the rest of the crew was gathered on the deck, ready to watch the show. Some were already placing bets  on who they thought would win, most likely Chat.

“Any rules I should know about?”  
“No, other than no killing.” Nino stepped up to them, ready to give the starting signal. The two placed their hands on their weapons, waiting to unsheath them.

 

“On your marks… Spar!”

 

Chat and Marinette removed their swords, standing with their other hands behind their backs. Chat’s black cutlass was pointed straight at her, waiting for her to make the first move. Marinette didn’t hesitate, swiftly dashing towards him. She thrust the tip of her sword at his heart, but he easily blocked it. Immediately after, he threw a slice of his own, his cutlass coming down quickly above her left shoulder.

 _Crap, he’s fast,_ she thought, but she could go faster too. The two were entangled in a deadly dance of silver and black as their blades clashed, sparks flying between them. Chat’s movements were heavier than her’s, but Marinette’s were much more elegant and precise. Just as she thought she was getting the upper hand, the tip of his sword hooked under the hilt of her own, and he propelled her body towards him. She stepped to the side to avoid getting skewered on his blade, but lost her balance in the process. She kneeled to the ground, but before she could rise up again, Chat placed his boot on the blade just below the hilt, pinning it to the ground.

“Looks like we are almost the same level,” he said smugly, the tip of his sword against her cheek.

“You’re right,” she replied. Suddenly, she lifted her sword off the ground and slid her hand under the flat of the blade, pushing him to the ground. She stood and pointed her rapier at his throat, just as he had a moment prior.

“Almost.” She sheathed her sword and turned away, noticing everyone’s shocked faces. Meanwhile, Chat was not only surprised, but in a state of utter disbelief. He’d never found someone that even came _close_ to his ability level, much less surpassed it.

 _Who is she?_ This was no ordinary girl, that’s for sure. Chat stood and brushed himself off, still astonished by her power. Marinette was already walking back into the cabin to wash the sweat off her brow, her hand still resting on the hilt of her sword. Chat followed her, and when she looked to see who was behind her, Chat gasped.

“Marinette! You’re injured!” She raised her hand to her cheek, recoiling at the sting. Looking back at her hand, she discovered it was covered in blood.

“It’s alright, it’s just a scratch,” she said, wiping her hand on a nearby rag.

“No, it’s not.” Chat grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards the bed, making her sit down. “Stay here, I’ll go get some first aid.” He left, and Marinette heard him call for Max from outside the door. No more than thirty seconds later, he returned, carrying a box full of various medical supplies. He set them on the bed next to her and went into the washroom to wet a cloth. He walked over to the bed once again and sat next to her, turning her body so she faced him. Cupping her face in one hand, he gently wiped the blood away. After he did, he grabbed a bottle and poured some of its contents on another rag.  
“This might sting a little, try not to move, alright?” As carefully as he could, he placed the cloth over the wound, disinfecting it. She winced at the pain, a tear forming at the corner of her eye.

“I’m sorry for cutting you, Marinette. It must have happened when you knocked me to the ground.” She giggled in response, causing him to quirk an eyebrow at her.

“It’s fine. And it wasn’t as easy as I made it look.”

“You could say I’m _falling for you.”_ Her face flushed at this, but she was unsure if he was serious or not. “Relax, relax,” he laughed, “I was only kidding.” She did as he said and allowed him to continue cleaning her cut, becoming more used to the pain as he did. He lowered his hand back into the box, searching for a bandage and adhesive to place over it. When he did, he took the small bottle and dropped two globs of the tacky substance on the edges of her cut and gently smoothed the strip of bandage over it. She flinched again when he did, but this time an involuntary tear fell from her eye.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Chat started, “I’m sorry. I know that hurt.” He cupped her cheek once again, wiping the tear away. However, he didn't lower his hand. It was then that Marinette became aware of how close their faces were. Her bright blue eyes stared into his green ones, neither looking away. Chat’s other hand clasped her much smaller one, his eyes trailing down her jaw to her light pink lips. They stayed like this for a few moments before he slowly leaned in towards her, her eyelids beginning to drop.

 

_Wait, what am I doing?!_

 

Marinette suddenly jerked backwards and snapped her eyes away from his surprised face. Her cheeks grew a bright pink, which she didn’t even try to conceal. Chat was just as embarrassed, unsure of what came over him. Fortunately, neither seemed to want to talk about what had just transpired. There was a long silence before Marinette cleared her throat and spoke.

“S-so… how did I do?”

“You... what?” Chat looked back at her in confusion.

“The duel… how did I do?”

“Oh. That… Well, needless to say you did far better than I anticipated.” The two sat in silence yet again, neither sure of what to say. Chat was the first to speak up again, standing from the bed as he did so.

“Well, I’m going to go get lunch… would you like to accompany me?”

“N-no, I’m alright. I’ll join you in a little while.” Chat didn’t complain, the two of them needed some time to figure out what exactly happened. As soon as the door closed, Marinette fell backwards onto the bed with her arms covering her red face.

  
_What is wrong with me?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that has been leaving me wonderful comments! I'll continue to update this work as much as I possibly can, so thank you to those who have been sticking around (and those who just came to visit).
> 
> Also, I'm thinking about starting another work after this one, something a little Rapunzel-esque. (Let me know in the comments if that sounds like something you guys would be interested in.)
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	6. The Akuma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh! This work has absolutely blown up the past day, over 600 hits and 20 new Kudos. Thank you all so much for reading and leaving all those wonderful comments! Here's an extra long chapter, 4.1k words! 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (Marinette's dress in this chapter: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/fd/9e/55/fd9e557ae3af2ad2566b365b6b61dc6a.jpg )

 

After several minutes of rolling on the bed in embarrassment, Marinette felt her stomach growl. While she was in no hurry to see Chat anytime soon, she hadn’t eaten all day and desperately needed food, especially after the duel. Picking up her courage, she stood from the bed and walked outside. Everyone was making her extremely self-conscious, and though she knew they were all looking at her because of her display during the fight, she felt like it was another reason entirely.

“Damn, Marinette!” She turned to see Nino with a wide grin on his face. “That was some serious ass beating you gave Chat!” Marinette simply smiled at him awkwardly before continuing to walk.

“Thanks Nino, but I really must go get some food now.”

“Alright, don’t be a stranger!” He waved at her and returned to what he was previously doing, and she went below deck. Walking into the dining room, she saw Chat sitting at the end of the long wooden table, awaiting his meal. Marinette sat a couple seats away from him, not far enough to make it more awkward but not close enough that they felt obligated to speak to one another. Just then, Ivan walked out of the kitchen carrying two plates.

“Ah, Marinette! Chat said you would be here soon, so I made you a plate.” The large chef set the plate before her, filled with mashed potatoes, meat, and various vegetables.

“Thank you, Ivan,” she said, earning a smile from him. Chat immediately started eating, probably just as hungry as she was. The two sat in silence as they consumed their food, Chat finishing just before she did. He walked into the kitchen to hand Ivan his empty plate, and nearly ran into Marinette as she went to do the same.

“S-sorry!” She exclaimed as she hurried past him into the kitchen. Chat also went back above deck rather quickly, seeming to avoid conversation. Ivan looked between the two before he left, raising an eyebrow at Marinette when she gave him the dish.

“Did something happen between you two?” He asked, placing the plate in the sink.

“N-no! Why would you think that?” She answered, but unfortunately, she was a bad liar.

“Oh, I see what’s going on here.” He smirked down at her, causing her to go red from the memory of it.

“Y-you do?”

“Mhm. Chat’s embarrassed because you completely destroyed him in the duel!” Marinette’s mind shut off for a moment, processing what he said.

“Uh, I-er.. Yeah! That’s what happened!” While Ivan was quite nice, he wasn’t the brightest of the bunch.

“I thought so. Don’t worry Marinette, he’ll come around eventually.” He patted her shoulder in reassurance, smiling at her the whole time.

“Thanks, Ivan… Well, I better go. Thank you for lunch,” she said as she began walking out the door.

“You’re welcome. And good luck with Chat!”

When Marinette was back on deck, she didn’t see Chat Noir anywhere. He was probably back in his room, so she decided against returning there. Instead, she climbed up to the crow’s nest, wanting to feel the cool sea breeze. When she got to the top, she sat on the edge of the railing. Probably not the safest option, but it made her feel light as the wind washed her worries away. After a few minutes, the ship rocked unsteadily, almost causing her to fall.

 _Alright, that’s probably enough of that._ Marinette hopped off the barrier and sat on the floor of the crow’s nest. The warmth of the sun made her feel relaxed, and she soon found herself drifting off. _Just a little nap…_

When Marinette awoke, someone was shaking her awake. She bolted upright and saw that it was already past sunset.

“Marinette! What are you doing up here?” It was Chat, of course, and he looked like he had been running. Small beads of sweat were forming on his forehead, and his breath was coming out in small pants.

“I came up here after lunch… I meant to take a small nap, but I guess I overslept.” She raised her arms to stretch, but an involuntary shiver prevented her from doing so. Chat placed a hand on hers, and almost recoiled at how cold it was.

“Mari, you’re freezing! Let’s go back into my cabin so you can warm up.” He began descending the ladder, Marinette following close behind. When they went back into the cabin, Chat grabbed the blanket he had been using to sleep on the floor and placed it around her shoulders. Despite this, she was still shivering. Suddenly, Marinette found herself wrapped in his warm arms.

“Is this better?” He asked, his body warming her up quicker than she would have thought possible.

“Y-yes… thank you.” The two sat in silence, allowing them a moment to gather their thoughts.

 _This is just to warm me up, right? There’s absolutely no other meaning behind it._ Marinette tried to calm herself, but couldn’t stop thinking about the man pressed against her. Even after she was warm, she didn’t tell him to let go. It felt so comfortable to be against him, their hearts beating in sync. Eventually, she felt Chat move. But to her relief, he was only going to lie down. He left his arms open for her, which she accepted quickly. They faced each other now, his arms around her small back. Neither spoke, simply gazing into the eyes of the person in front of them. Chat rested his forehead against hers, still not breaking eye contact. Marinette knew this was a bad idea, but couldn’t find the will to pull away this time. This time, it was Chat who closed his eyes and restrained himself from going further.

 _From the way she reacted earlier, I doubt that it’s something she wants. And I don’t want her to be scared of me._ Chat sighed, making Marinette quirk an eyebrow.

“Is something wrong?” She asked, breaking the silence.

“Of course not, my lady. Just a little tired.” This wasn’t a lie, he had been hard at work all day.

“Do you want to go to sleep?”

“I think that would be a wise decision.” Marinette nodded, still quite tired despite having slept all day. She turned over so her back was pressed against his broad chest. Chat was about to turn over as well, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“You… can stay like this tonight.” She whispered, her face growing hot. Chat was silent for a moment before tightening his hold on her slightly.

“As you wish.” The two stayed that way all night, and it was the best sleep either of them ever had.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Chat woke up to the lookout alerting the crew of nearby land.

 _Ah, that’s right,_ he thought, _we’re stopping in Brest today._ Observing his surroundings, he noticed the sleeping girl beneath his arm. _Heh, she’s pretty cute when she sleeps,_ he noted, his eyes moving to her hair that had fallen in rivulets around the pillow. He was going to get up, but decided against it so as not to wake her. Instead, he laid his body closer to her, taking in her sweet scent. She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon, which was refreshing in comparison to the sweat of the men. After about thirty more minutes, Marinette woke up and slowly opened her eyes. She turned over and came face-to-face with Chat once again.

“Morning, princess.” He said, smirking. The events of the previous night came back to her all at once, and her face flushed.

“M-morning. How did you sleep?”

“Quite well, actually. Your presence chased away any unpleasant dreams.” Marinette looked away from him, attempting to distract herself.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” She asked, trying to change the subject.

“Well,” he started, “We’re going to resupply in Brest today, then continue on to Roscoff in the morning.”

 _Damn,_ _my crew will be heading south,_   _provided t_ _hey follow the schedule. It’ll be a good three months before I see them again, at best. On the bright side, it looks like my cheek is better,_ She thought as she removed her bandage.

“Alright. It should be about time for breakfast,” she said, standing up, “would you like to join me?” He sat up and stretched before standing to strap his cutlass to his hip.

“I would love to.” The two went out on deck and passed some of the other pirates, trading greetings and such. When they went down to the kitchen, several other pirates were lined up to get some warm grub. Marinette was about to join them, but Chat stopped her.

“It’s alright, I’ll get you some food. Just sit and wait for me.” Marinette didn’t like the idea of being treated special, but sat down regardless. Soon after she did, a redheaded boy sat down a few seats away from her. He seemed to be a couple years younger than most of the other pirates.

“H-hi, Marinette,” he said, nervously fidgeting with his fork.

“Oh, hi! Nathaniel, was it?”

“Yes, Uhm… I just wanted to say I thought you were really cool yesterday.”

“Oh, thank you!” She gave him a small smile before Chat interrupted them, sitting between them with two bowls of stew.

“Morning, Nathaniel,” Chat said dryly.

“G-good morning, captain!” He exclaimed, surprised by Chat’s sudden appearance. Chat handed Marinette her bowl, and began eating his breakfast in silence. Nathaniel could clearly see that the captain was upset by something, and left with a small wave to Marinette, which she returned.

“What’s your problem?” She asked, elbowing the man sitting next to her.

“Nothing, I’m fine,” he replied curtly. Marinette was irritated by his sudden sour mood, and ate her meal quickly. She went to give her bowl to Ivan and left without another word. Leaving the kitchen, she climbed up one of the shrouds tied to the side of the ship. She sat down halfway up the ropes, staring out at the sea. Soon after, she heard Chat come up the stairs. She could feel his eyes on her back, but he said nothing and continued on his way.

After another thirty minutes of sailing, they docked in Brest. Marinette hopped down from her perch and went to grab her satchel from Chat’s cabin. Luckily, he wasn’t in there. She grabbed her bag, checking to make sure her money was still there, and slung it over her shoulder. Just then, Plagg awoke from his cat nap and jumped off the bed, rubbing against her ankles.

“Hey there, kitty,” she cooed, “wanna go for a walk?” The black cat purred in response and followed her to the door. The two emerged from the cabin and saw Chat helping Nino anchor the ship. Fortunately, Chat seemed to be in a better mood now with any traces of his previous mood swing gone. Chat saw Marinette and Plagg walking together, and gave her a skeptical look.

“You’re taking Plagg along?” He asked.

“Yes, I figured he could use a walk.”

“You know,” he said, “he’s not a dog.”

“Obviously. I just thought he needed some fresh air.” She replied, her brow furrowing. He sighed and shook his head, but allowed her to do as she pleased. The three of them walked off the ship and waited on the dock for everyone else. When they did, Chat split everyone into groups of two in order to gather the required supplies. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Marinette.

“Wait,” she whispered to him, “You guys aren’t going to _steal_ what we need, right?”

“No,” he chuckled, “We only steal when we need to. No point in creating an uproar when we can afford it.” He turned back to everyone before continuing. “Alright, Ivan and Kim, you get food supplies. Nino and Max, fresh water. Nathaniel and Jalil, parchment and ink. Everyone else, stay and guard the ship.”

“Aye, captain!” shouted everyone as they dispersed to buy the supplies they needed. Marinette stayed with Chat, unsure of where she was supposed to go. Seeing her uncertainty, Chat placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You, my lady, will accompany me.” He took her by the hand and pulled her along, but she stopped him.

“Wait, what about Plagg?” She asked, looking back to the dock. The cat was sitting on some barrels, basking in the sun.

“Guess he changed his mind.” Chat shrugged and continued onward towards a row of shops along the waterfront. Marinette wondered why he needed her to come with him, when suddenly he pulled her into one of the stores. When Marinette’s eyes adjusted to the lighting, she gasped at what she saw.

Inside the building was a boutique. Clothes and accessories lined the walls and filled the tables, bright colors coming from every corner of the room. Various fabrics were rolled on spools, their patterns and shapes entrancing her. Though she wouldn’t say she was obsessed with clothes, she did enjoy the process that goes into making them. She even designed a few outfits in her free time. As Marinette was taking everything in, the shopkeeper walked up to her and squealed.

“My dear, would you mind modeling for me?” She asked as she abruptly raised Marinette’s arm, observing her proportions.

“I-I... uh…” The girl was at a loss for words. Besides, she didn’t have the money for a tailored dress. However, Chat urged her forward.

“Go on, don’t worry. I’ll pay for it.” Marinette protested, but her complaints fell on deaf ears. Even the seamstress seemed to ignore her, too entranced by the elegant curves of her slender body. Before she knew it, she was having her measurements taken. After the seamstress finished, she went into the back room and returned with some light pink fabric. Placing and pinning the soft cloth, she created a rough outline of the dress she wanted to make.

Thirty minutes later, Marinette was done. The seamstress informed them that it would be finished at approximately three o’clock, so they could return for it later. Marinette and Chat thanked the woman and exited the boutique. The two of them explored the town for a few more hours, even stopping to get Plagg some fish and camembert cheese. Marinette was surprised that a cat would actually eat the foul smelling food, but Chat insisted that it was Plagg’s favorite. Before they knew it, it was almost time to go back to the boutique. They stopped by the ship and left Plagg’s treats there in order to avoid stinking up the shop. When they returned to the seamstress, she was already waiting at the counter with a bundle of clothing.

“Hello, dears!” She exclaimed, lighting up as soon as she saw them. “Thank you so much for the opportunity to make this, it’s probably one of my favorite dresses I’ve ever created.” She pulled Marinette into the dressing room, handing her the clothing. “Here you are, I think you’ll like it.” She closed the door before Marinette got the chance to thank her.

Unfolding the dress, she let the fabric cascade to the ground. Her eyes widened in surprise; it was the most beautiful article of clothing she had ever held. The pink dress was adorned with white lace across the seams and along the bottom of the sleeves, which were cut off at the elbow. The waistline dipped into a triangle, elegantly leading into the skirt. The middle of the skirt had a long lighter strip of pink, also cut into a large triangle and decorated with lace. The neckline was straight, a little lower than Marinette had anticipated but beautiful nonetheless.

She stripped her clothes, folding them into a neat pile before placing them on the floor. She slipped the dress over her head, the fabric falling perfectly around her body. She observed herself in a nearby mirror, and audibly gasped at the sight. She didn’t think it was possible for her to look this elegant. The dress suited her perfectly, accentuating all of her features. When she had regained her senses, she re-positioned her dagger under the sleeve and stepped into the main room. Chat and the seamstress were engaged in a conversation, but it came to a screeching halt when they noticed her.

“Oh my goodness!” The seamstress squealed, “You look lovely, darling!” She rushed over to Marinette to make sure there weren’t any loose strings. Marinette looked over at Chat, who had been completely silent. His eyes were as wide as plates, a light pink tint rising to his cheeks. Marinette looked away, embarrassed. This seemed to snap him out of his trance, compelling him to speak.

“My lady, you are the most stunning woman I have ever laid my eyes on.” Marinette jumped in surprise. Sure, she was expecting him to say she looked nice, but not _that._ She brushed her wavy hair away from her face, slender fingers curling behind her ears. As soon as the seamstress had finished inspecting the dress, she directed Marinette’s attention to some shoes. They picked out some pale pink flats to match the dress and some extra shirts. They were to pay when suddenly, Chat placed something around her neck. She glanced down and saw an opal sphere on a thin gold chain resting on her chest.

“We’ll be taking this too,” he said, smiling at the shopkeeper. She nodded and added its cost to their total.

“It’ll be twenty franc,” she stated, surprising both of them.

“But ma’am,” Marinette said, “Shouldn’t it be forty franc?”

“Yes, but I’m giving you it to you for half price, because of how much I loved making it.” Marinette feverishly thanked her as Chat reached into his pocket and placed the gold coins in the woman’s hand. Soon after, Marinette grabbed her clothes and left the boutique, heading back to the ship to leave them in the cabin. By this point, the sun had begun to set. Chat stood in the doorway waiting for her as she placed her dirty clothes in the laundry bin. As she walked back out, he held his arm out for her.

“My lady, there is one more stop we must make tonight,” Chat said as she wrapped her hands around his toned bicep.

“Oh? And where might that be?” She asked, tilting her head to look up at him.

“It’s a surprise.” He didn’t elaborate further, leaving her to wonder what it was. The two traversed the town, both noticing the abundance of stares Marinette was getting from various townsfolk, and shifted closer to Chat without thinking. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a secluded little tavern. When they entered, Marinette nearly fell over from surprise.

The whole crew was there, and everyone greetings as they noticed their captain and Marinette. Hanging from the ceiling was a banner with the words ‘Welcome, Marinette!’ painted in beautiful red script. Several pirates rushed up to congratulate her and give her a pat on the back.

“What’s all this?” She asked, still confused.

“You are officially one of us now, Marinette!” Nino declared, smiling down at the dark-haired girl.

“Yeah,” said Chat, “we decided to throw a little welcoming party for you.”

“Ha! Yeah right. Cap’ has been talking about nothing else for the past day.” Kim chuckled, earning a glare from Chat. Marinette giggled, and began thanking everyone. They all complimented her on her dress; even the tavern owner said she looked lovely. Everyone stayed late drinking and making merry, and it well into the night before people started to leave and head back to the ship.

Soon, Marinette and Chat were the only ones left in the pub. Marinette knew she was a lightweight and refrained from drinking too much, but Chat could certainly hold his liquor, taking in several more pints than she did. After they had stayed chatting amongst themselves for another hour or so, they decided to head back to the ship. They paid for everyone’s drinks, which wasn’t cheap, and left the tavern. Chat took her between some buildings so they could reach the ship faster, but after a few moments Marinette stopped him.

“Chat… thank you.” She smiled up at him, her hand resting lightly in his. Suddenly, he pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. Her cheek rested on his chest, becoming increasingly red. They stayed like this for a full minute before Marinette glanced over his shoulder and noticed a figure in the darkness, silently creeping towards them.

“Chat, look out!” Marinette cried, pushing him out of the way. Swiftly reaching under her sleeve, she unsheathed her dagger and blocked the attacker’s incoming strike. It was meant for Chat Noir, but the man hadn’t realized the pirate wasn’t alone. Although Marinette’s reaction time was fast, she was hindered by the alcohol in her system. Her hand slipped, and the man managed to inflict a rather large cut along the back of her hand. However, before he could do any more damage, Chat embedded the black blade of his cutlass into his stomach without hesitation. The man crumpled to the ground, color draining from his body. Chat leaned down to inspect the man, and scoffed when he found a purple butterfly-shaped tattoo on the man’s wrist.

“Damn. Didn’t think they’d find me here.” He said, kicking the body behind a nearby bush. “Come on.” He grabbed Marinette’s injured hand, not seeing the wound that had been inflicted. She whined at his sudden rough hold on her, blood seeping from the wound. He felt the warmth dripping through his fingers and whipped around to face her.

“Marinette, your hand…” He said, suddenly aware of how tightly he was holding her. He ripped off a shred of his shirt and made a makeshift bandage, wrapping it around her hand. The two quickly ran back to the ship, Chat calling for Max as soon as they were onboard.

He quickly emerged from the sleeping quarters, noticing the blood soaking through the cloth on her hand. He ran back down and re-emerged with his medical kit, joining them in Chat’s cabin.

“I need you to tell me if she got poisoned.” Chat sat down on the bed with her, Max sitting on the side of her injured hand. Unwrapping it carefully, he wiped the blood away from the wound with a soft wet cloth, observing it closely for several minutes before disinfecting it and wrapping proper bandages around her hand.

“Luckily, it’s not poisoned,” Max said, tying the ends of the bandage together securely. “What happened? Akumas?”

“Yeah.” Chat ran his hand through his blonde locks. “One tried to ambush us.” Marinette was confused; she had never heard this name before.

“What are Akumas?” She inquired.

“They’re monsters.” Chat said, turning his gaze downwards, “They exist only to kill without reason. You probably haven’t heard of them. Their ship, the _Akuma,_ rarely sails to France.” Marinette decided not to press the subject further, not wanting to ruin his mood more than it had already been. Max left soon after, leaving the two of them alone in the room. As soon as the door closed, Chat’s arms clamped around her desperately, trapping her in an embrace.

“C-Chat? What’s wrong?” She asked, clinging to the front of his shirt.

“You reckless girl… this is the second time you’ve been hurt because of me.” Chat pulled away from her to look down at her hand, guilt flashing across his face.

“It’s alright,” she said calmly, “The one on my face healed practically overnight.” Marinette took his face in her hands, causing him to look into her eyes. She offered a small smile, which he hesitantly returned. Chat pulled her hands away from his face and held one in his own, the other reaching up to cup her cheek. Their foreheads rested against the other’s, eyes never breaking contact. Every part of Marinette’s mind was telling her not to do this, but her heart longed for it so much more.

Both of them closed their eyes as their lips brushed softly, a tingling sensation coursing through the two at the contact. After a few moments, Chat gently pressed his lips onto hers, making sure not to move too quickly. Marinette responded by gripping his soft shirt, urging him to continue. His hand snaked its way around the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. They melted into each other, the kiss conveying more than words ever had. He ran his hand through her hair, savoring the feeling of her loose locks through his fingertips. He softly sucked her plump lower lip for a few seconds before they separated, both panting lightly. Their faces remained a hair’s breadth away, eyes still closed as they stayed locked in a tender embrace.  
“Marinette…” Chat said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, Chat Noir?”

“There’s something I have to tell you.” It was now that she opened her eyes, Chat doing the same.

“What is it?”

 

  
“I know you’re Ladybug.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sqeee! o(≧∇≦)o  
> I had a LOT of fun writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did making it. I apologize for leaving it on a cliffhanger like that, but at least I'm keeping ya'll interested? 
> 
> Marinette's dress in this chapter: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/fd/9e/55/fd9e557ae3af2ad2566b365b6b61dc6a.jpg
> 
> Please leave feedback if you can! ^-^


	7. The Battle on the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *IMPORTANT NOTE IN THE COMMENTS! PLEASE READ!*
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's been leaving wonderful comments (even those of you that got mad when I left it on a cliffhanger), it really brightens my day. ^-^
> 
> Also, just so you guys know, have chronic fatigue which may interfere with my upload schedule. I'll still try to update as often as possible (Every 2-3 days), but in case I don't, that's why. (To give you an idea, I have to get 13-ish hours of sleep a night just so I don't fall asleep in the middle of class, and even then I'm still tired.)

 

Marinette was petrified.

 

 _He… knows? How did he find out? What did I do?_ Her mind was screaming at her, playing out all the possible scenarios she could think of. She could feel his body against her own, but couldn’t hear what he was saying.

“Marinette..? Marinette!” He shouted at the unresponsive girl in front of him. _Shit, good job, idiot. That was probably the worst time to bring it up._ He placed his hands on her slim shoulders and shook her, attempting to rouse her. She snapped back to reality and gripped his arms in surprise before jumping off the bed.

“H-how did you find out?” She asked, hands clenched tightly to her skirt. Chat stood up and took her hand in his.  
“Hey, relax. I’m not upset.” Marinette avoided eye contact, causing him to sigh. “I’ve known since the beginning. Remember the night you got attacked?” She nodded, looking down at their intertwined hands. “Well,” he continued, “When you went down, your satchel fell off your shoulder. The mask fell out, but I forgot to grab it when I picked up your bag.” Marinette was shaking, guilt consuming her. Tears began welling up in her bright blue eyes, but she held them back.

“I-I’m sorry... for deceiving you.” Her voice quivered with suppressed emotions. Chat took her face in his hands and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

“It’s alright, I forgive you.” He pulled her towards his chest, wrapping his arms around her back. Marinette buried her face into his shirt as the tears fell, hiccuping quietly.

“I w-was going to k-kill you…” She said through sniffs.

“I know.” He pet the top of her hair reassuringly.

“Then w-why aren’t you m-mad?”

“Because if you really wanted to end my life, you would have by now.” He moved the two of them to the bed, laying down on their sides. She wrapped her slender arms around his back to grip the fabric of his shirt. After several minutes, her tremors subsided.

“Marinette?” He said.

“Yes?”

“Why did you protect me?” She looked up at him, eyes still watery.

“I… I’m not sure. I just felt something come over me. Realistically, I should have let him stab you. But I couldn’t.” The two were silent for a few minutes before Marinette spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew?”

“I wanted you to tell me yourself, but I couldn’t let this continue without saying something.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Hey,” he said, “Stop apologizing. I told you it’s alright.” He continued to stroke the back of her head in reassurance. “Why don’t we go to sleep? It’s been a long day.”

“Okay… and Chat?”

“Yes, my lady?”

“What’s your real name?” Marinette pulled away from his chest to look up into his bright green eyes. He smiled down at her and brushed her bangs away from her face.

“Adrien.”

“Adrien,” She repeated. It was strangely fitting. He placed another kiss atop her hair before sitting up to remove his boots. Marinette kicked off her flats, not needing to use her hands. He laid back down next to her, lifting the covers and blowing out the oil lamp on the table next to them. As he pulled her close once again, the two drifted into the world of dreams.

 

* * *

 

Alya was running faster than she ever had. She had to get back to the ship as soon as possible. Twisting through the narrow moonlit streets of Lorient, she found her way back to the dock and onto the _Dupain-Cheng_.

“Guys, I found something!” She yelled, the few women still on deck being called to attention. “Go get everyone,” she said to Juleka, “Hurry!” The dark-haired girl nodded and ran to the sleeping quarters to alert the other crew members. Once everyone had been assembled, Alya raised a black-spotted mask, causing several people to gasp.

“Is that…” said Rose, her words trailing off.

“Marinette’s mask?” Mireille asked, her hand raising to cover her mouth. Alya nodded at her, lowering the mask.

“Yes… in addition, there was dried blood on the ground. Someone must have attacked her, and I’m willing to bet anything it was those damned pirates. Haven’t any of you wondered why we haven’t seen any sign of them? They must have kidnapped Marinette and took off, likely to get ransom.” Suddenly, Juleka gasped.

“I was asking some of the villagers if they saw anything strange,” she began, “And a fisherman said he saw an unusual ship sailing north a day or two after Marinette went missing!” Alya glared, turning her head to face the north end of town.

“We set sail in thirty minutes. If those pirates think they can take our captain and get away with it, they’ve got another thing coming.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Marinette awoke to the man next to her getting out of bed.

“Good Morning, Ch-Adrien.” The blonde chuckled down at her and ruffled her hair.

“Good Morning, my lady. I appreciate the attempt, but try to call me by my alias when we’re around other crew members; most of them don’t know who I really am.” She quirked her eyebrow in surprise before looking around the room. Leaning against the doorframe was Nino, smirking at the two of them.

“Don’t worry, I’m the only other person who know’s Adrien’s name. Also, I’m not even going to bother asking what you two were doing in bed together.” Marinette blushed furiously, but decided against explaining. Knowing her, she would probably make it look worse than it is. Chat stretched, yawning as he did.

“So, Nino. Why are you here so early?” He asked.

“Just letting you know that we’re disembarking soon; we should arrive in Roscoff in a day or two.” With that, Nino left the cabin. Marinette threw off the covers and stood, noticing she was still in her dress from the day before. Looking towards the pile of shirts she bought at the boutique, she selected a forest green one and her pants. She crossed over to the washroom and changed, folding the dress over her arm. She was going to remove the necklace Chat bought her, but decided to keep it on. As she emerged, Chat looked up from various maps that were scattered on the desk. He walked over to her and took her dress, placing it on a coat hanger in the wardrobe. Just then, her stomach growled rather loudly.

“Are you hungry?” He asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“A bit,” she answered, but her stomach rumbled again in protest.

“That sounds like more than ‘a bit,’ my lady. Come, we’ll get you some breakfast.” They headed outside and proceeded below deck, where the smells of Ivan’s cooking wafted through the kitchen door. They sat and awaited their food, seeing as no one else was there yet. Most, if not all, of the other pirates were preparing to set sail. Soon enough, Ivan noticed them through the window on the kitchen door and brought them two bowls of stew.

“Mornin’ you two,” he greeted.

“Morning, Ivan.” Marinette’s stomach growled for the third time as the food was set in front of her.

“Glad to know you’ve got an appetite,” the large cook remarked. Marinette flushed in embarrassment, causing both Ivan and Chat to chuckle. While they were eating, the boat lurched suddenly as they began sailing. Chat, who had not been expecting this, spilled hot broth on his pants.

“Argh!” He exclaimed, jumping up to wipe the stew off his trousers. Marinette laughed loudly, nearly choking on her own food. Chat grumbled at her before sitting back down and quickly finishing the rest of his breakfast. They returned their bowls to Ivan and headed back on deck. Chat had to go help Nino with something, leaving Marinette alone.

“Hey, Marinette!” Called Kim.

“Oh, hello Kim,” she responded, smiling at him.

“You have _got_ to fight me. I need to see firsthand how strong you are.” He crossed his arms over his chest, puffing it out to make himself seem larger.

“Are you sure you want that?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“You’re damn right I’m sure!” He placed a hand on the sword at his side, ready to unsheathe it.

“If you insist.” Marinette pushed herself off the boxes she had been sitting on, reaching for her rapier. “Ready when you are.”

 

The “duel” lasted all but ten seconds. Though Kim was skilled, he couldn’t hold a candle to Marinette. She had easily disarmed him, bringing the flight to an end before it had even begun. He was amazed, to say the least. He did make one swing at her, but she sidestepped it so fast he wasn’t sure she was ever there. Several men had gathered ‘round to see her in action once again. Truly, Marinette was a sight to behold. So much so that Kim didn’t even mind getting destroyed by her.

“That was amazing, Marinette!” He shouted. He slung an arm over her shoulder before continuing. “Wanna head down to the kitchen and grab some ale? I know where Ivan keeps the good stuff.” She was about to object when suddenly, Chat Noir was by her side. He pushed Kim’s arm off of her and put his own around her waist. Kim seemed to get the message, backing off abruptly. Marinette was confused, but wasn’t too bothered by it.

The rest of the day was spent amongst the crew, Marinette finding entertainment gambling with Max. He was quite good at poker, but she was slightly better. She managed to win a good amount of gold off of him, much to his dismay. However, he took it in stride and continued playing, this time with something a little less valuable. As the sun set, everyone gathered for dinner and drinks. They laughed, sang, and made merry until late in the evening, when everyone started turning in for the night. Marinette and Chat returned to their cabin, Plagg greeting them as they walked through the door.

“Hey, kitty.” Marinette scooped him up from the floor and placed him on the bed, flopping down next to him on the fluffy mattress. She was beyond exhausted. A few of the other men challenged her as well, none of them as skilled as she was. However, this was to be expected. Chat kicked off his boots and sat next to her, Marinette sitting up as he did.

“Adrien?” She asked.

“Yes?”

“What… What are we?” Marinette looked up at him as he faced her and took her hand in his.

“We’re whatever you want us to be.” He smiled at her so genuinely it made her heart flutter. She returned his grin, leaning into his chest. She had only been on the _Agreste_ for a little less than a month, but had already fallen harder for this pirate than she would have thought possible. His charm, wit, intelligence, even the stupid jokes he made from time to time, Marinette loved all of it. But before she could convey this to him, her exhaustion took over. She started drifting off, right there in his arms. He chuckled and laid her on the bed, kissing her forehead as he did.

“Good night, my lady.”

 

* * *

 

When they awoke, it wasn’t how they expected to. The boat rocked violently as Nino burst through the door.

“Captain!” He shouted, “There’s an attack!” Chat threw the blankets off and scrambled to find his cutlass, strapping it to his waist as quickly as possible.

“Who is it?”  
“The _Akuma._ ” Chat audibly cursed and grabbed Marinette, dragging her out of the bed.

“Marinette, listen to me. Whatever you do, do not confront the captain of that ship. You won’t be able to handle him alone.” He held her shoulders and stared into her eyes.

“Why? Who is he?” She asked, still not understanding the situation completely. She’d barely been told anything about those aboard the _Akuma._ Chat looked down, the crease in his brow deepening.

“He’s… My father.” Marinette took a step back, confused.

“But… Why is your father attacking you?”

“Well, needless to say we don’t have the best relationship. I can’t explain now, get ready to fight.” He looked out the window, but the early morning mist obscured all visibility. “Damn, looks like we’ll have to board.” Marinette placed her rapier on her hip and strapped her dagger to her forearm.

“Nino, which direction are they coming from?” She asked.

“Northwest. They probably saw our mast and took a leap of faith with that cannon shot. It’s a good thing they can’t see, they missed the hull by a few meters.” They walked outside, Chat shouting orders at everyone. Suddenly, Ivan yelled out.

“Hit the deck!” Another cannonball rocketed towards them, narrowly missing yet again.

“Let’s not hope for a third time,” Marinette stated.

“Agreed,” said Nino. The boat lurched to the side, turning in the direction of the enemy cannons. They were closer than anticipated, the two ships meeting after only a few seconds. Several of the Aukmas swung from ropes onto their ship, not bothering to wait for the boards to lower. Marinette was startled, to say the least. They were some of the most grotesque human beings she had ever seen, if they could even be called that.

Marinette and Chat dashed towards them simultaneously, engaging in combat immediately. Normally, she would attempt to disarm instead of kill them, but from what she had heard, that wouldn’t be a wise choice. She and Chat cut them down swiftly, most of them not standing a chance. Cannons weren’t an option at this close range, as debris could damage their ship as well. Several of the Akumas had muskets, shooting at them. Marinette ducked just as one fired, then lunged towards him, impaling his gut with her blade. Then, she saw him.

The tall man was dressed from head to toe in a dark shade of purple, silver accenting his sleeves. He had a feathered hat upon his head, icy blue eyes gleaming from underneath the brim. He stood with one hand behind his back and the other resting atop a cane, observing the battle from afar. There wasn’t much resemblance between him and his son. He was cold and unforgiving, whereas Chat was warm and inviting. This man was what she thought Chat Noir would be like, no emotions or remorse in his eyes.

Several more men came at her, attempting to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. Chat saw this, however, and cut some of them down before running to the opposite end of the ship to help Nino. But more of them were quickly on her again, and she managed to hold them off for a while. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw their captain whisper something to one of the lackeys, his eyes never leaving her. As she was fending off enemies, she felt her body become restrained and fell to the ground. She dropped her sword, unable to keep it in her hand. Looking down, she discovered that an Akuma had thrown a bolas at her, preventing her from fighting. Several of them sneered down at her before one swinging her over his shoulder and ran to the other ship. He threw her at the feet of the captain, who placed his cane upon her cheek painfully.

“Strange,” he said, a snide lilt to his voice, “I didn’t think women could fight as well as you do. You will serve me nicely.” He turned his head to the man who had brought her aboard. “To the brig.”

Marinette was slung over his shoulder once again, kicking and thrashing around. The man took a rag and gagged her before dropping her into the ship’s prison, a wooden box with a metal grate at the top. He locked it behind him, laughing as he did. She tried to wiggle out of her bindings, but it was no use. They had been knotted behind her and her hands were trapped at her sides. She called for Chat, but the gag prevented much sound from escaping. A few seconds later, she heard the clattering of feet on deck and the rising of the anchor.

 _They’re going to leave!_ She rolled around, attempting to loosen the ropes just a little. But she felt the ship lurch forward as the wind moved it forward, hearing the cheers coming from the _Agreste._

_No, I’m not there… Chat, please! Help me!_

 

* * *

 

Chat was happy that they decided to retreat so quickly, but something seemed fishy. He helped Kim dump the bodies off the side of the ship, grateful that none were from his crew. He looked around and saw various men clapping each other on the back in congratulations. Then, it occurred to him that he hadn’t seen Marinette since the middle of the battle. He walked over to Max, who was patching up Ivan.

“Max, have you seen Marinette?” He asked, concern lacing his voice.

“No, not since earlier. Keep asking around though, I’m sure someone has.” Chat did as Max suggested, but no one had seen her. At this point, he was beginning to panic. He ran below deck, checking all the rooms. However, he found no trace of her. He rushed into his cabin, but the only occupant was Plagg, who was hiding under the bed. Suddenly, Kim yelled.

“Chat! Get out here!” When he found Kim, he was kneeling next to a body. “I… I found this underneath him.” He held the ruby-encrusted rapier out to Chat, the blade coated with blood.

  
_Marinette!_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to read this! Sorry for leaving it on YET ANOTHER cliffhanger. Please forgive me!  
> (๑•́ㅿ•̀๑)


	8. The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh!! 1,400 hits and over 100 kudos! Thank you all so much for continuing to read this, and I'm VERY sorry for the delay. It might be a few days until my next update as well, my sister has to get heart surgery and my father has shingles. I'm doing a lot of work at home and at school, so I'm just very busy. Please be patient, I'll try not to make you guys wait as long as I did for this chapter! 
> 
> Enjoy!

 

Hours passed.

 

Marinette sat in the brig, her arms still tightly bound to her body as she listened to the voices of the pirates. She had managed to loosen the gag and spat it out of her mouth onto the dirty floor. Outside of the grate, she could see the stars twinkling above her.

 _We’re heading south,_ she thought as she leaned her head against the wall, observing the stars. A few minutes later, she heard the clinking of keys from overhead. After a moment, the captain of the _Akuma_ sauntered down the stairs into the cell.

“I am deeply sorry for placing you in these less-than-stellar accommodations, but I had no choice at the time.” Marinette turned away from him, glaring at the floor. “Headstrong, I see. No matter, you will become obedient soon enough. You must be wondering why you’re here, correct?” She turned her gaze towards him, still silent. “Well, I’m glad you asked,” he said sarcastically, “You, my dear, are going to become my assassin.” Marinette jolted with surprise, tensing her muscles under the ropes.

“What?!” She exclaimed, furrowing her brow.

“Ah, so she does speak.” The man leaned forward on his cane, narrowing his eyes at her. “You are going to kill whoever I tell you to. No questions asked.”

“Like hell, I will.” Marinette scoffed at him, amused at the suggestion. She wished she could reach her dagger, but it was too far up her arm. “Besides, don’t you have plenty of pawns to throw around?”

“Those men?” He chuckled, “They are not nearly the caliber I require. You, however, are more than I could have asked for: swift, precise, and deadly. All qualities of a perfect assassin.”

“I already told you no. I don’t kill unless I have to, anyways.” She was growing quite tired of this repetitive conversation.

“Oh, but you will.” Marinette’s stomach growled quietly. She was quite hungry, as she hadn’t eaten all day. “I assume you’re famished? I will allow you to eat, but only after you have accepted my terms.” He smiled coldly, no traces of emotion on his features.

“Well, I won’t.” She faced away from him abruptly, glaring the wall again.

“If that’s how you want to play, so be it.” He turned away from her and began walking back up the steps. The grate closed once again, the click of the lock sealing it shut. Marinette shivered as her damp cell became several degrees colder. As the minutes passed, Marinette’s exhaustion soon overcame her.

 

* * *

 

Chat had been following the _Akuma_ since he realized Marinette was missing, but they were still pretty far from catching up with them. They were already nearing Brest once again, yet saw no sign of the ship. He was restless, pacing around his room as he thought about how Marinette could have possibly been captured without him noticing. He sat on the bed, placing his hand on her rapier that was lying on the sheets. It had been cleaned by Kim, the blade shining in the sunlight. He could only imagine the tortures his father was subjecting her to in order to get what he wanted. Suddenly, Nino burst into his cabin.

“Captain,” he panted, “There’s… another ship heading towards us.” Chat jumped up from the bed, hope gleaming in his eyes.

“Is it the _Akuma?”_ He asked, leaning Marinette’s rapier against the bedframe.

“No… It’s the _Dupain-Cheng._ ”

 

**. . .**

 

“There they are, ladies!” Alya shouted, pointing her the tip of her sword at a distant ship.

“I can’t believe we actually found them,” said Lila. Within a few minutes, the ships were almost upon each other. Soon after, Rose came rushing down from the crow’s nest.

“Alya!” The young girl exclaimed.

“What’s wrong, Rose?” Alya replied.

“They’re…”

“They’re what?” She questioned once again.

“Surrendering.”

 

**. . .**

 

“Cap’, are you sure about this?” Asked Kim, climbing down from the crow’s nest.

“Yes. Do as I say.” Chat didn’t turn to him when he spoke, looking towards the _Dupain-Cheng_ instead _._ Kim didn’t argue as he rolled up the black flag that had been replaced by a white one. The two ships steadily closed in on each other, the inhabitants of both sheathing their weapons. As the anchors lowered, two women aboard the _Dupain-Cheng_ placed a wooden board across the two ships, creating a bridge. Another girl, seemingly around Marinette’s age, crossed over to the _Agreste._ She stood with her back straight, hand on the hilt of her sword.

“Which one of you is the Captain?” She asked calmly. Chat stepped forward.

“That’d be me.” He held his hand out for her to shake, but she ignored it.

“Where is she?”

“I’ll assume you mean Marinette. She’s been kidnapped.”

“No shit, she was taken by you bastards,” The woman scoffed at him.

“No, _from_ us bastards.” A couple of the men chuckled at his response.

“What are you talking about?” She quirked an eyebrow at him, confused.

“Have you heard of the _Akuma?”_ He asked.

“I might have heard of them once or twice. Why?”

“They are the ones that took her.” Her face paled.

“What? But… aren’t they ruthless murderers?”

“Yes. We’ve been following them all day.” His expression was firm, though worry bled through his mask. The girl’s brow furrowed as she thought of possible solutions.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” She returned to her ship, her crew members gathering around to hear what Chat had said. They disappeared below deck, leaving Chat Noir to await their return.

 

**. . .**

 

“We can’t just leave, they know where Marinette is!” Exclaimed Alix.

“Who cares?” Lila retorted, rolling her eyes at the unwavering loyalty of Marinette’s crew.

“Lila,” Alya began calmly, “I have tried my very best to tolerate you, but you’re really making my blood boil.”

“Oh, ho ho,” she mocked, “Look who’s trying to act like a captain for once.”

“I’m not the captain, Marinette is. If it were me, you would be thrown off this ship before we reached the next town.” Ignoring Lila’s scoff, she placed her hands on the table and continued. “Look, everyone. They haven’t made any attempts of hostility, and they know where she is. Or at the very least, what direction she’s headed in. I propose we form a temporary peace treaty until we get our captain back. Then, she can decide where we will go from there. All in favor?”

Nearly everyone raised their hands, save for Lila. A few glares from the other women caused her to begrudgingly raise her arm as well, bringing it to a unanimous vote. Alya nodded and began walking back on deck, crossing the bridge to the _Agreste_ once again. Chat Noir looked up from his sword, which he had been polishing.

“Welcome back,” he said.

“We have decided to temporarily join forces with you,” Alya replied, her gaze unwavering. “Once we find Marinette, she’ll decide what to do with you lot.” Chat seemed satisfied with their decision. He offered his hand once again, which she clasped with her own.

“Chat Noir, at your service.”

“Alya. Alya Césaire.” They shook, solidifying the agreement. “We will sail behind you, so try not to stray too far from us.” Chat nodded as Alya stepped back onto the _Dupain-Cheng,_ the two women from before pulling the makeshift bridge back.

“Hoist the anchor!” Yelled Chat, the boat lurching as it raised back up. Alya called for her crew to do the same.

“Fiery, isn’t she?” Said Nino, his eyes following the girl.

“If that’s what you’re into,” replied the blonde, smirking at the man next to him.

“But she seems kind of Amazonian, ya know? The whole crew in fact. Doubt they’re interested in men.”

“You’ll never know unless you try,” Chat responded, thinking of Marinette. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. “Nino, tell Kim to set our course westward.”

“Eh? Alright, If you say so.” He went to inform Kim, who was at the ship’s wheel. Chat retreated inside his cabin, producing a map from his desk drawer. His eyes were drawn west towards a small island off the coast.

_He must be there._

 

* * *

 

Marinette had been in this hellhole for two… no, three days. Her hunger was consuming her, throat dry from thirst. She was adamant that she would never give in to his demands, even if it killed her. Her cell was freezing, the damp floor soaking saltwater into her clothes. However, she had learned her captor’s name. Hawkmoth, he preferred to be called.

He allowed her arms to be bound behind her back instead of to her sides, but it wasn’t much better. She could barely keep her eyes open at this point. Soon, he returned to her prison.

“Hello, my dear. Enjoying your stay?” He asked coldly. Marinette couldn’t bring herself to speak, her voice too weak. “I hope that you’ve changed your mind. I stand by my word, you will not be allowed food or water until you comply. It would be such a shame to waste your potential.” In response, she turned her head towards him and spat on his shoe.

“You disgusting little-!” He shouted, filled with rage. He drew his leg back, striking her across the face. Marinette’s head smacked against the floor, causing her ears to ring. He raised his cane up and brought it down on her side, smashing into her ribcage. She cried out in pain as she coughed up blood, fearing that the man broke something. He leaned over her shivering form, a terrifyingly wide grin on his face.

“Remember that next time you attempt to defy me.” With that, he left the cell once again, leaving Marinette sobbing on the floor, wishing for her kitty to rescue her from this monster.

 

**. . .**

 

Later that same day, Marinette heard the men shouting from above. Listening closely, she discovered they were nearing land. Sure enough, within a few minutes, she felt the ship rumble as the anchor dropped. The hatch of the cell opened, revealing two men standing over her. One of them threw her over his shoulder roughly, ignoring her screams of agony. The other stood next to them, making sure she didn’t attempt to flee. They stepped out of the brig, the bright sun blinding her. She looked around and noticed they were on an island. There were a few buildings, but it looked mostly uninhabited. The pirates stepped off onto the dock one by one, each one carrying a crate or bag of treasure.

 _Is that what I am? A prize?_ She thought, attempting to shift so the pirate’s shoulder wasn’t digging into her ribs. They walked to a cluster of old buildings, their exteriors decrepit and old. Once they were inside, however, she was amazed at how lavishly decorated it was. That amazement was short-lived, however. She was violently dropped before Hawkmoth’s feet, his eyes glinting in the light.

“Welcome to your new home, my dear.” He smiled wickedly, his teeth as white as snow. “I’ll have someone show you to your room.” He nodded in the direction of one of the pirates, who grabbed her arm and pulled her up quickly. Marinette was pushed into a hallway, a staircase leading downwards at the end. As they descended, the sunlight faded more and more rapidly. Torches lined the walls, giving them a small amount of visibility. The stairwell opened up, she noticed yet another set of cells, their iron bars reflecting the firelight. She was pushed into one of them, unable to resist. The pirate produced a set of keys and locked her in, leaving a moment later. She observed her new prison, noticing a sleeping cot hanging off the wall, supported by two ropes. Marinette limped over to it and threw herself onto the bed. It only consisted of a board and some straw, but it was better than the floor.

 _Adrien… please._ Marinette’s exhaustion quickly overcame her as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

* * *

 

Chat narrowed his eyes, focusing on the faint string of lights in the distance. He called Ivan over, who was sitting nearby.

“Ivan, I need you to call over to the _Dupain-Cheng._ Alert them of our arrival.” The man nodded and rushed to the back end of the ship. Chat looked up at the night sky, stars twinkling. It was hard for him to deduce the time, as it was a new moon. He pulled his pocket watch out and opened it, noting that it was twelve-thirty. They had been sailing all day without stopping. About an hour later, they pulled around the side of the island, docking in a small bay. Chat saw the _Akuma,_ purple flag billowing in the cool night breeze. He placed his hand on Marinette’s rapier, which he had strapped to his right hip. The two ships lowered their anchors as quietly as possible. Chat and his crew climbed into the two lifeboats, descending to the sea. He looked over to the _Dupain-Cheng,_ where the women were doing the same. They rowed ashore, Alya rushing over to meet them once they landed.

“Where are we?” She whispered.

“Ushant, a remote island off the coast,” Chat informed her.

“How’d you know they’d be here?” Asked one of the younger girls, her short blonde hair bouncing as she walked towards them. Chat didn’t know how to respond, he couldn’t tell them about Hawkmoth being his father. When he was young, they would come here for family vacations. It was merely a guess, but he was lucky he was correct.

“Intuition, I guess?” He said, rubbing his neck. Fortunately, that seemed to satisfy the women. “We’ll need to be stealthy. I don’t know how many guards there are.” Alya nodded, returning to her crew to relay the instructions. Silently, the two groups moved towards the cluster of houses. As they neared it, they saw a single solitary guard outside one of the buildings. Alya gestured to Alix, who nodded in response. She raised her arm, a crossbow attached to her forearm. With deadly precision, she let her bolt fly. It found its mark, right between the eyes of the pirate. His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Many of the men were very impressed, especially Kim. They all rushed to the wall, hiding beneath the windows. Alya waited for Chat Noir’s cue, which he gave after a few moments.

They broke open the windows, glass shattering across the rug. Several pirates were startled, immediately unsheathing their weapons. They clashed, the shrill sound of metal against metal ringing throughout the house. Alya’s strikes were fast, but not as fast as Marinette’s. Alix shot the men on the staircase, reloading quicker than lightning. Kim stayed near her, slicing down anyone that got too close for her to take aim at. Chat looked around, no signs of his father anywhere. He dashed up the stairs, jumping over the small pile of bodies Alix had created at the bottom. He kicked down each door before finally arriving at the master bedroom. Hawkmoth stood silently, facing away from him as he stared out the window.

“I had a feeling you would find me here eventually, though you were quicker than I anticipated.”

“Where is she?” Chat asked, never tearing his eyes from the man before him.

“I hope you aren’t planning on stealing her from me.” His father asked.

“Like you took her from me? Well, sorry to burst your bubble. I’m taking her back whether or not you tell me where she is.” He unsheathed his sword, the blade ringing. “So, I’d suggest you stop wasting my time.”

“Adrien.” Chat stiffened at his own name, cold against Hawkmoth’s lips. “I need her. I will not allow you to take the most powerful weapon I have ever acquired.”

“Why do you want her in the first place?” He asked.

“Revenge. I have found the man that murdered your mother all those years ago.” Chat flinched, the battle below still raging.

“You have?”

“Yes. Vengeance… It would taste so sweet. Wouldn’t that be nice?” Hawkmoth said, a pleasant lilt to his voice.

“No. I refuse to allow you to use her for your bidding. Find someone else to kill him. Or better yet, do it yourself.” He began to turn away, but a cool blade pressed to his neck stopped him in his tracks.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave, Adrien. You are interfering, and I cannot allow that.” The sword pressed further into his skin before Chat whipped around to face him. He brought his cutlass down upon Hawkmoth, but it was easily blocked. Hawkmoth thrust his sword towards Chat’s stomach, however, he underestimated his speed. Chat jumped out of the way, throwing a swing to Hawkmoth’s left shoulder. He barely blocked it in time, causing the blade to graze his shoulder slightly. He grunted, pushing Chat back onto the floor. Chat’s cheek hit a wooden chest, cutting into his face. Blood trickled from the wound, but he ignored it. Hawkmoth stood above him, the tip of his blade against Chat’s jaw.

“I’m sorry that it has come to this, my son.” He drew his sword back, preparing to slice Chat’s chest. Chat swung his leg with lightning fast speed, sweeping Hawkmoth’s feet out from under him and knocking him to the ground. It allowed him a split second to stand, reversing their previous positions. He kicked Hawkmoth’s sword away from him, disarming the man completely.

  
“Yeah. I’m sorry too.” Chat thrust his sword downward, impaling the blade within the chest of his father.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a feeling I'm going to make a lot of enemies if I keep leaving it on cliffhangers.


	9. The Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY, I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. 
> 
> The last few weeks have been crazy for me. Everyone in my family got sick, including me, finals are coming up, etc. I just haven't had time to write. HOWEVER, I managed to pull through and get the final chapter out to you guys! My next work is up as well, so head on over if you want to check that out!( http://archiveofourown.org/works/8808637 ) I might do an epilogue for this work, so there maaaaay be one more chapter coming out for this.
> 
> I have a tumblr now, where I will post updates on my works, sneak peeks, etc. I will also post all of my chapters from these works on there, so if you don't have an AO3 account (cause they're annoying as hell to make) head on over there!  
> http://elioren.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, warning: There's a little... implied stuff towards the end of the chapter. Nothing too explicit, but I'm just letting you know.

 

 _Marinette… Marinette…_ **_Marinette!_ **

 

The young girl snapped her eyes open as she sat up abruptly. Her side seared with pain, causing her to cry out.

“Marinette! Are you alright?” She turned her head towards the cell door, noticing a figure standing in the firelight. His golden hair reflected the orange rays, the shadows falling on his face highlighting his features.

“A-Adrien?” She croaked, the agony from her broken ribs making it extremely hard to speak.

“My lady, stay back.” Chat quickly glanced around the dim room, trying to find something heavy. He saw a pile of rocks in the corner and grabbed a particularly large one. Raising the stone above his head, he brought it down on the lock of the cell. The door swung open, Chat rushing in to tend to his princess.

“Adrien… How did you-?”

“Shh… don’t speak,” he said quietly, laying her back down on the bed. He placed his hands on her shirt and lifted it, horrified by the sight. Her whole right side was purple, cuts adorning her fair skin. He looked into her eyes, noticing that her cheek was forming a bruise as well.

“Oh, Marinette… I’m so sorry I let this happen.”

“It’s not your fault… I was stupid and got captured.” Chat rested his forehead against hers and placed a light kiss on her nose.

“Can you stand?” She shook her head in response. Chat placed his hands gently behind her back and under her legs, lifting her as softly as he possibly could. He tried his best to keep pressure off her ribs, but her skin stretched around the bruise and made her wince.

“Sorry, love.” He pushed the cell door open with his foot and ascended the staircase. Once they arrived at the top, Marinette noticed the abundance of bodies on the floor with her crew standing above them.

“Marinette!” Alya ran over to them, the rest of the women turning their heads towards the two.

“Alya! What are you doing here?” She asked, clutching her side as she spoke.

“We tracked the _Agreste,_ hoping they had taken you. We sort of came to an agreement-” She stopped abruptly when she noticed the dried blood on the side of Marinette’s shirt. “Mari! My god, what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story…” She trailed off. It clearly wasn’t the time nor the place to recount what happened.

“Alright, let’s get you back to the ship,” Chat said. Marinette looked up at him, noticing the blood smattered on his shirt for the first time.

“Chat, that’s not your blood, is it?” Marinette asked timidly.

“No.” His short answer seemed to indicate he didn’t want to talk about it, so Marinette didn’t press further. Chat called for Max and carried Marinette outside and away from the cluster of buildings. They headed towards the _Agreste,_ where most of Max’s medical supplies were. Alya followed as well, not leaving her best friend’s side. Once aboard, they took her into Chat’s cabin and placed her on the bed. Max ran out to grab what he needed, returning quickly. He lifted Marinette’s shirt up to her bust, exposing her ribs. Max sighed, shaking his head.

“Two broken ribs. Not much I can do about that, other than advise you to not move too much while you heal. It’ll take about a month to six weeks for you to heal completely.” Marinette nodded. She’d had broken ribs when she was younger, so she was familiar with the healing process. Chat brushed her hair away from her eyes, staring into them intensely.

“I’m so sorry this happened… I never should have left your side that day,” he whispered.

“Chat, please.” Marinette placed her hand over his. “It’s not your fault.” She intertwined her fingers in his, their hands warming each other. Suddenly, Chat flinched as he remembered the events that had occurred.

“I… I killed him,” he said, eyes downcast.

“You what?” Marinette asked in surprise.

“My father. If I hadn’t, he very well could have killed more innocent people.” Marinette stared up at him as he placed a hand on her cheek. “He could have killed you.”

“Chat, I’m alright. A little banged up, but alright.” She smiled up at him and leaned into his hand. “You don’t need to worry about that anymore. I won’t go anywhere.” Alya, who had been standing silently the whole time, finally piped up.

“So… what’s going on with you two?” She asked, one eyebrow raised skeptically. Chat pulled his hand away from Marinette quickly, sitting up straight. Marinette’s face grew a bright red. She had completely forgotten they weren’t alone.

“Uh, well… you see-” Marinette stuttered, but Alya cut her off.

“Relax, it’s fine. I get it.” She smirked at them before crossing the room to the door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She shouted, closing the door behind her. Marinette rolled her eyes at her friend’s antics, though her face was still flushed. Chat looked down at her, the corners of his mouth twitching. Marinette couldn’t help herself, and the two broke out into a fit of laughter. Marinette stopped suddenly, clutching her side.

“Ow, ow… Okay, noted: laughing hurts.” She rolled back on her side as Chat wiped a tear away from his eye. He returned his hand to her face, brushing Marinette’s hair away from her eyes. Chat smiled softly, gazing down at her. He reached behind her head, entangling his hand in her soft hair as he leaned closer to her face. Their lips brushed softly, melting together. Marinette felt like she was soaring as their mouths danced together in perfect harmony. Just as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, they heard the door creak open.

“Oh, shit,” exclaimed a voice. Chat jumped back, whipping his head around to see who had intruded. A girl with long brown hair had entered the room, not expecting what she had seen.

“Lila?!” Marinette squeaked, “What are you doing in here?”

“Well, I was going to see how you were doing. But from the looks of things, you seem to be just fine.” Before she could leave, a thought occurred to Marinette.

“Wait… Lila, were you worried about me?” The girl flinched and turned away from Marinette.

“Of course not. I was just curious. You can resume what you were doing.” Lila left quickly, closing the door firmly behind her.

“Will there ever be a day when we’re not interrupted?” Chat joked. Though they would like to do as Lila suggested, the moment had been ruined. They laughed it off as Chat got some more ice for her ribs. As he positioned it against her injured side, his brow furrowed.

“Mari… What are we going to do?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” She quirked an eyebrow at him, confused.

“About us. I...I have a duty to my crew.”

“As do I.” She clasped his hand as she spoke. “We’ll figure something out, don’t worry.” Marinette smiled up at him and he returned it. Chat leaned down to her once again, placing a light peck on her forehead.

“I’ll take your word for it. Now, is there anything else I can provide my lady with?” She giggled at his pet name for her, blushing lightly.

“Actually, yes. I haven’t had any sustenance since before being captured.” Chat flinched in surprise, suddenly very angry.

“What?! Marinette, that’s nearly three whole days without food or water! Why didn’t you say anything before?” He stood up quickly and ran out of the room. He returned in a surprisingly timely manner, carrying a tray of food with him. On it was a bowl of soup, accompanied by an assortment of bread. Chat placed the tray on her lap, gesturing for her to eat. She complied, immediately stuffing her mouth with the fluffy bread, gulping down big spoonfuls of the soup in between bites. All of the food was gone within a minute, leaving Marinette incredibly satisfied.

“Thank you, Adrien,” she said, “I feel a lot better now.”

“You’re welcome. You still need to rest though, so sleep for as long as you’d like. I’ll tell your crew that we’re going to head back to Brest.” He stood up, taking the tray off her lap.

“Alright.” Marinette slid down under the covers, making sure to keep the ice pressed firmly against her ribs. Within seconds, she drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

When Marinette awoke, her eyelids were being assaulted by a blindingly bright light. She opened them gradually, her vision going white before adjusting to the illumination.

 _It must be morning,_ she deduced. She yawned, her side stinging. She looked to her left, noticing that Chat was sleeping soundly next to her. She smiled, giggling quietly. Suddenly, she heard a chirp from behind her. Turning around, she saw her little red and black parakeet, Tikki, perched on the bed frame.

“Tikki!” She exclaimed, momentarily forgetting Chat’s presence. The small bird flew around her head in excitement, tweeting as she did. Marinette raised her hand from the covers, allowing Tikki a place to land. When she did, Marinette brought Tikki to her face and kissed her beak.

“I missed you so much!” Chat stirred suddenly, causing Marinette to jump.

“What’s going on..?” He asked groggily, still half asleep.

“Adrien, I want you to meet someone,” Marinette stated, causing Chat to wake up a little more.

“Who?” He asked, looking around the room.

“She’s right here,” Marinette said, pointing to her hand. “Adrien, this is Tikki. Tikki, Adrien.” Tikki flitted over to Chat, landing on his hair and chirping down at him.

“Nice to meet you too, little one.” He looked around, noticing an open window. “She probably came in through there,” he said, pointing towards it. Marinette nodded, standing up from the bed and. She walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors, noticing her pink dress hanging within it. Smiling fondly at the memories associated with it, she unhooked it from the hanger and entered the washroom. As Marinette scrubbed her skin, she attempted to wash away any thoughts of her time on the _Akuma._ When she returned, Chat had already gotten dressed as well.

“How’s your side, my lady?” He asked, admiring how the dress accentuated her features.

“Surprisingly, not as bad as it was. It still hurts, but not nearly as much.” Chat crossed the room to where she stood, intertwining his hands in hers.

“Good,” he said, leaning his face closer to hers. She gave him a bashful smile, gazing into his eyes. They brought their lips together, the kiss soft yet conveying many words. They separated after a few moments, walking together to the door. Marinette opened it, surprised by who she saw onboard.

“Mari! Alya exclaimed.

“Alya! What are you guys doing on the _Agreste?”_ The shorter girl asked.

“Well, we trust these guys enough to help us find you, but not enough to risk having them run off with you again,” Alya replied jokingly. She eyed the dress Marinette was wearing, admiring how well the color suited her.

“About that,” Marinette started, “That was kind of my fault. They didn’t know who I was.” Alya seemed surprised but continued anyways.

“Well, no matter. We thought it would be safest if some of us were here with you. At least these guys aren’t as bad as they seem.” She glanced over at Nino briefly, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by Marinette. “So how are you feeling?”

“I’m a little better. I’ve always been a fast healer,” Marinette replied. Just then, Mylène and Rose ran over to her, greeting her in somewhat similarly to how Alya had.

“Captain!” Squealed Mylène, wrapping her thin arms around Marinette. Despite her petite size, she was quite strong.

“Ow, Mylène! Gentle!” Marinette cried, causing the short girl to jump back immediately.

“I’m so sorry, captain! Is there anything I can get you?”

“Some cold water would be nice,” Marinette replied, smiling warmly at her.

“Water, got it!” Mylène ran over to Ivan, asking him where the kitchen was. The large man seemed taken aback by her, stuttering as he showed her the way.  
_Hm… Big guy’s got a soft spot, huh?_ Marinette thought. She giggled lightly and Chat quirked an eyebrow at her.

“What are you laughing at?” He asked.

“Oh, nothing.” She replied, still looking towards Ivan and Mylène as they walked below deck. Chat followed her line of sight and put the pieces together.

“Ah, I see.” He gave her a knowing smirk before Tikki fluttered down from the crow’s nest. Marinette smiled at the bird, petting her head. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

“Oh! I’ll be right back, Chat!” She ran back into the cabin, leaving Chat outside with Tikki. When she returned, she was carrying a small burlap pouch.

“Tikki, I know you were expecting these back in Lorient. Sorry it took me so long to give them to you!” She opened the mouth of the bag, exposing the sugar-coated seeds. Tikki chirped and flew onto her hand, shoving her face in the pouch.

“You feed sugar to your bird?” Chat asked, suddenly very skeptical of her pet ownership skills.

“She loves sugar, it’s probably her favorite thing in the world.” Chat shrugged, still too tired to question her. He placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her down to the dining hall for breakfast.

Everyone onboard joined them in their meal, eager to greet Marinette and see if she was recovering. They ate slowly, enjoying their time with everyone. As Marinette was taking a rather large gulp of water, Nino leaned over and whispered into her ear.

“So, Marinette. How are things with the captain?” He gave her a sly wink, which caused her to choke on her water.

“Marinette, are you alright?” Chat asked, placing a comforting hand on her back. Nino snickered next to her, trying to hide his laughter from Chat. After her fit of coughing died down, Nino was struck with several glares. He didn’t seem to mind, however, having already gotten his answer.

The day went on as any other would. Marinette helped out where she could, avoiding any heavy lifting. As the evening drew closer, the two ships neared Brest. The sky was tinted a lovely orange, streaks of sunlight striping the sky. Marinette got onto the docks first, eager to let her feet touch land. Once the crews had gotten everything in order, Marinette and Chat Noir left to find a decent inn with enough room for everyone, and the rest of the crews went to resupply in the meantime.

After an hour or so of searching, they came across a place that would suit their needs perfectly. The inn was rather large, but was mostly vacant. There was enough space for everyone to have two people to a room. Chat paid the innkeeper for the rooms, which put quite a dent in his wallet. They left to gather the crew and luckily found Nino and Alya not too far off.

“Hey, guys,” said Chat, “We found a place up a few streets. Go find the others once you’re done.”

“Alright, I think most of them are at a pub near the town’s center anyways,” Nino chuckled. He knew Chat got annoyed when people slacked off, but he never did anything to discourage it other than some mild lectures.

Once they had split up, Marinette and Chat headed back to the inn to pick out which room they wanted. They were all pretty much the same, so they picked one along the wall facing the street. The room had a bed with fluffy royal blue sheets, which Marinette flopped onto immediately.

“Ahh… So relaxing.” The girl stretched her arms above her head, taking up half of the bed. Chat chuckled and joined her, laying on his side to face her.

“Marinette… We really should discuss something.” Chat’s eyes didn’t meet hers, looking past her at the wall instead.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, sitting up.

“In the morning, you’ll have to go with your crew and I with mine.”

“I… I know that. I’ve tried coming up with solutions, but none seem to be good ones.” Marinette looked down, her hands fumbling with the small opal necklace at her throat.

“I have a proposition, but we’d have to run it by everyone first.” Chat sat up, placing a hand on her arm. “We could merge our crews.”

Marinette’s eyes shot open. She had thought of this, but pushed that option away. She didn’t think Chat would agree to it.

“I guess… we could.” She said, still processing the logistics of the situation.

“Think about it, our crews seem to get along--some better than others--and if you’d like, we would stop thieving. I know most of the men adore you, as they should. We could start new lives together… And we would never have to be apart.” Chat stared into her eyes now, his gaze intensely passionate.

“I’d like that.” Marinette stared back at him, those green eyes as bright as the first day she saw them. Chat took her hand in his, a warm smile highlighting his lips.

“Marinette… I love you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I love you too, Adrien.” A shy grin grew on her face, her cheeks tinted a lovely red. They closed the distance between them, pressing their lips together. They were alone now, so there was virtually no chance of them being interrupted. Their lips melted together, and after a few moments, Chat began to suck on her lower lip. Marinette was surprised, but didn’t want him to stop. His tongue slowly licked at the entrance to her mouth, to which she granted permission. Their mouths danced, tongues swirling together in an intimate embrace. Soon after, Chat separated from her. Marinette whined quietly in protest, to which he responded to with vigor.

Chat’s hand snaked around her back, pulling her body closer to his. Using his other hand, he tilted her head up and softly licked the fragile skin of her neck, restraining the urge to bite into it.

“I love you so much, Marinette.” His voice was low, sending vibrations along her body and exciting her further. Marinette’s body shivered from the sensation, earning Chat a quiet moan. His warm breath cascaded over her collarbone as he trailed small kisses up her jaw.  
“Marinette… I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. Tell me if you want to stop-” He was interrupted by Marinette pressing her mouth to his again, much more passionately than before. She gripped the edge of his shirt, which he removed hastily. His toned abs pressed into her small hands. Her fingers danced across the grooves and crevices, causing Chat to groan into her mouth slightly. He reached around her back and began unbuttoning her dress, slipping the silky material off her slender shoulders. Marinette allowed herself to fall back onto the bed, Chat following her on the way down. He hovered above her, licking at her collarbone and trailing further downwards.

The two continued late into the night. By the time the crew arrived, Marinette and Chat Noir were already deep asleep, bodies close together in a warm embrace.

  
_I love you too, mon minou._

 

[ ](http://www.1001fonts.com/scriptina-font.html)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for sticking around until the end! I enjoyed writing this so much, and will continue writing more works. If you like my stories and want to see more, subscribe to me on AO3 or head over to my tumblr!  
> http://elioren.tumblr.com/
> 
> For those of you interested in my new work, here's the link!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/8808637


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